What's happened to Free School Meals provision?

[Carpathian2]

I've just had this from my child's school

I don't see the issue. That looks like a good selection of food, with lots of different possible ways to use the ingredients. I would be grateful for it. Speaking as a UC recipient with a child on FSM.

As for the issue of feeling embarrassed to queue up / it being "Dickensian" to wait to receive a food parcel - every one else waiting will be in the same position. Anyone feeling embarrassment needs to get over themselves, TBH. There are worse things in life. And it rather stinks of a sense of superiority over other people in the same situation.

Not embarrassing at all op so what I need extra help anyone who wants to try and make me feel bad for getting an extra loaf of bread and a few bit can go swivel for all I care.

So the food parcel isn't enough food so you're refusing it? What?

How is a person going to a school for food at any more risk than that same person going to a supermarket??

I presume because they will still need to go to the Supermarket as well. So instead of going to the supermarket with a voucher you now need to go to school and the supermarket. So it's just a bigger 'chain' of contact.

@AldiAisleofCrap

It’s insulting and wrong it’s also putting families and risk collecting parcels. The vouchers allowed for families to buy a decent amount of food to make hot meals. Enough food to make dinners as well if people shopped wisely.

Why is it insulting?

Why are you at risk collecting a parcel but not spending a voucher at a supermarket? Most schools will deliver if you’re vulnerable.

When your child is in school they receive a free lunch every day, not enough food to feed the whole family (unless school invite you in to eat too?), so how is this any worse than what is normally provided?

The ingredients can be cooked in different ways depending on your preferred cooking method. I think it’s pretty good. To be honest it’s the sort of thing I buy for my dcs and it’s fine for them.

@CorianderBee

So the food parcel isn't enough food so you're refusing it? What?

I think it’s the sense of embarrassment/shame that you need to go collect free food parcels that is the issue.

"but if you child was at school you wouldn't be getting the £15 you would be just getting 1 child fed 5 lunches which is what is in the bag."

No, my child would be having 5 filling hot dinners at school and I would be giving him beans on toast or something for tea not having to provide another hot dinner putting extra strain on my already seriously strained finances.

*48Woodenhearted

spanieleyes

@Woodenhearted
Do you seriously believe all children of drug addicts are classed as vulnerable!

Are they not ?*

Do you think all children of Doctors, Lawyers even Teachers are classed as NOT vulnerable???

This assumption that all children who are entitled to FSM have parents who are druggies really pis**s me off

I think school caterers had already ordered food expecting schools to be open so this seems a very sensible way of using it up.

It is nutritious free food, I don't understand why you are so ungrateful.

@Carpathian2

It's a problem because these meals are not hot and are likely to be shared amongst other members of the family. At school you get a meal just for you, outside school many children have to take their chances.

They are not suppost to be shared by other people, just the child who is entitled to them

Is that list if food for 1 student?
So for two days a week he has jacket spud with cheese and beans, two days he has omelette, and for the fifth day he has sandwiches. Then there's a breadroll for each day, plus cucumber, tomatoes, sweetcorn. 3 days he has a yoghurt and the other two he has fruit.

That food would more than feed me five lunches and I'm a fatty.

@KilljoysDutch

"but if you child was at school you wouldn't be getting the £15 you would be just getting 1 child fed 5 lunches which is what is in the bag."

No, my child would be having 5 filling hot dinners at school and I would be giving him beans on toast or something for tea not having to provide another hot dinner putting extra strain on my already seriously strained finances.

Your school must be different to ours, as my dc are always complaining the portions are tiny! They were ok up until yr 2-3!

And quite often sandwiches have been offered instead recently.

Schools and government can’t do right it seems. So many threads last time moaning about the vouchers!

You should see my local village FB group, plenty trying to sell food vouchers for £5 less in cash.

To clarify, I'm not actually complaining about the contents of the box. It's the fact that you need to go to the school every week to pick it up and the embarrassment that causes

Just seen this - but how else do you expect them to get you the lunches?
I don;t work in a school but I wouldn't have thought it very feasible to personally deliver them to every child's door.

"Your school must be different to ours, as my dc are always complaining the portions are tiny! They were ok up until yr 2-3!"

We're in an incredibly high poverty area and the school goes beyond to serve amazing home cooked meals every dinner time served like they would be at home. Lovely meals my DS really enjoys.

@rabbitheadlights

*48Woodenhearted

spanieleyes

@Woodenhearted
Do you seriously believe all children of drug addicts are classed as vulnerable!

Are they not ?*

Do you think all children of Doctors, Lawyers even Teachers are classed as NOT vulnerable???

This assumption that all children who are entitled to FSM have parents who are druggies really pis**s me off

Me too it’s really unfair that a whole group of people are seen as something they aren’t

@Quaagars
We are a relatively small primary school, with 160 families on roll. Of those 42 are entitled to food boxes. We couldn't deliver those every week but we do deliver to those who are shielding or isolating and those who don't drive.

Most schools would be willing to deliver to parcel weekly, if families are unable to collect:

Lots of families will be happy with that for one child for 5 lunches. They may have to use a food bank for the other meals and for the rest of the family.

I think it’s a healthy balanced meal, which doesn’t have to be a hot meal. My kids never have a hot lunch and often a cold meal for tea too.

Hopefully, no one is too embarrassed to collect, if so please contact school, they may have other options

I think you are being ungrateful.

People would put their own pride above their children going hungry? Really?

The school isn’t responsible for the food being “shared with other family members” why would you share a food parcel that is for the child? Do you expect the school to feed the whole household now?

Feed your own kids if you can, if you can’t and you’re desperate take the food parcel so your child doesn’t starve to death.

So entitled

I actually think that is a generous amount of food for one child’s lunch 🤷🏻‍♀️ I would be more than happy to receive that each week.

As other posters have said, you can make many different meals with those ingredients.

If your child doesn’t eat a few items then swap things around from what you’d normally buy from your shopping.

I really can’t see the issue.

The list of food they were offering is not far off what I’ve eaten this week, it’s perfectly adequate.

This is what I thought! My phone keeps glitching and deleting posts, so I’m forgetting what I’ve said, but we had baked potatoes with cheese, and veggie sticks on the side today.

Another day I did a “packed lunch at home” option with rolls and cheese as part of it - and fruit and veg which is on this list, and yoghurt. I buy big pots of plain yoghurt though which is cheaper and I’d have thought better.

Yesterday I did left over rice as egg fried rice with odd ends of vegetables in it - I’m sure most families would cook some extra rice at some point which could the cool.

This has reminded me about boiled or scrambled eggs as a lunch option though.

@CorianderBee

People would put their own pride above their children going hungry? Really?

I've been on benefits as a single mum and I can tell you that's not me, I was grateful for any help to feed my child as that was more important than my ego or pride.

If you don't want to accept food parcels then don't but the school food parcels are not to feed your family, it is your child. That is enough food and I think they've ultimately got enough to do without dropping them door to door.

Our school are starting parcels as of next week. Most of the students at my children's school have to travel so the cost of the travel would equate to half of the cost of the parcel which is pointless (some people won't have bus or taxi money) but the school have offered to deliver it which will be on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday and you won't be given a day or time you just have to wait your turn. What if it's delivered Friday and then the child has already gone a week without.

I can't comment on the contents of the box because what they get in school is dire. The FSM allowance is so dire that they can only afford a sandwich or wrap with a drink. We have to top up their card for extras or a hot meal.