A loaf and a block of cheese is not lunch for ten days

[ZazieSheHer]

So some of the free school lunch boxes contain very little food.

Marcus Rashford condemns free school meal packages

“...a package, supposedly containing £30 worth of food to last for 10 days, comprising just a loaf of bread, some cheese, a tin of beans, two carrots, two bananas, three apples, two potatoes, a bag of pasta, three Frubes, two Soreen bars and a tomato”.

mobile.twitter.com/RoadsideMum/status/1348646428084760576

Can’t imagine what it’s like home schooling hungry kids. Would like to say I’m shocked but I’m not.

Do you really think the catering company is making £20 profit on £30 income for supplying school meals?

@zaphodbeeble

The company is Chartwells, a division of Compass whose chairman is a Tory donor apparently

This. I can't believe how many times we have let the Tory Government hand out money to their mates/donors during this pandemic. They literally have no shame and doing it in front of our faces when people are losing their jobs. It is starting to get really depressing as it's a new one almost every week. I was actually surprised that these things can just happen without any consequences for the people in power. Where is the rage? And why is the system doesn't have any thing in place for checks and balances? It's is making me so angry.

To be honest, i look at threads like this and wonder when the Government became responsible for feeding children?
And when did people become so entitled that they expected it? And complained because it wasn't enough?
I have really struggled financially in the past, and i have never come anywhere near letting my children go hungry, ever.
I am sorry, but no-one is so poor in the UK that they can't afford to feed their kids.
There may be very specific situations when cash is tight, for example waiting for UC or fleeing domestic abuse, but widespread inability to afford food on a daily basis is a budgeting issue.
It suits the left-wing narrative to promote food poverty, as seen on here, along with the usual juvenile comments about Tories helping their mates out.
I agree there is not enough food to justify the £30 bill, that's obvious.
But the real scandal is that the whole expectation of free food was there in the first place.

If they are buying this utter crap in bulk it won't cost anywhere near the £5.00..... Children will definitely be going hungry.

There is only limited budgets and our grandchildren are going to paying for this for rest of their lives.

I’m paying for it now. Those grandchildren will be in a much better place to work abd pay taxes if we accept that children shouldn’t live in poverty and vote accordingly instead of defending private companies providing a public service while pocketing £25 out of £30.

@LegoPirateMonkey and they only nibble the sandwich.

This ought to be shocking but it is not.

Government gives £2million contract of taxpayers money to mates (no tender process that was transparent).

Said company makes profit and donates £1m of taxpayers money back to Tory Party.

They don't care that they are profiting off poor kids.

Do we know that the company - Chartwell? Are actually charging £30 for this or is it just speculation as the vouchers issued previously we £15 a week?

@Katyppp the real scandal is the years of austerity that has forced families into poverty to satisfy grotesque right wing ideology. The kind of selfish greed and entitlement that creates a situation where wealthy companies take money intended to feed hungry children as profit for themselves. That’s the scandal.

The £15 is being funded separately via Councils.
Schools are responsible for the contents and value for money.

Do you really think the catering company is making £20 profit on £30 income for supplying school meals?

I personally didn't say that. They're making some indeterminate amount of profit, as you acknowledged. I don't believe they should be involved if all they're doing is parcels of ingredients for others to cook/prepare at home. They're not actually providing school meals.

To think nobody is so poor as to struggle to feed their family is exceptionally naive.

These vouchers/meals are intended to cover the free school meals that are provided in schools, parents have enough stress at the moment without the added worry about how they are going to replace the regular meal they knew their children would have.

I don’t care about anyone’s personal circumstances, no child is to blame for whatever is going on in the home and no child should be left hungry.

I don't agree with the parcels they've been giving out, but I'm not sure that they were given the contract because they're a party donor — Compass catering is the largest catering conglomerate in the world.

They hold a tonne of contracts, and operate some restaurant chains as well. They're arguably the most obvious choice for this.

I am sorry, but no-one is so poor in the UK that they can't afford to feed their kids.

I presume this is a joke???

@Katyppp

To be honest, i look at threads like this and wonder when the Government became responsible for feeding children? And when did people become so entitled that they expected it? And complained because it wasn't enough? I have really struggled financially in the past, and i have never come anywhere near letting my children go hungry, ever. I am sorry, but no-one is so poor in the UK that they can't afford to feed their kids. There may be very specific situations when cash is tight, for example waiting for UC or fleeing domestic abuse, but widespread inability to afford food on a daily basis is a budgeting issue. It suits the left-wing narrative to promote food poverty, as seen on here, along with the usual juvenile comments about Tories helping their mates out. I agree there is not enough food to justify the £30 bill, that's obvious. But the real scandal is that the whole expectation of free food was there in the first place.

Wow denying food poverty. Good for you, you must be living a good life/ in your own bubble.

@Katyppp

To be honest, i look at threads like this and wonder when the Government became responsible for feeding children? And when did people become so entitled that they expected it? And complained because it wasn't enough? I have really struggled financially in the past, and i have never come anywhere near letting my children go hungry, ever. I am sorry, but no-one is so poor in the UK that they can't afford to feed their kids. There may be very specific situations when cash is tight, for example waiting for UC or fleeing domestic abuse, but widespread inability to afford food on a daily basis is a budgeting issue. It suits the left-wing narrative to promote food poverty, as seen on here, along with the usual juvenile comments about Tories helping their mates out. I agree there is not enough food to justify the £30 bill, that's obvious. But the real scandal is that the whole expectation of free food was there in the first place.

Perfect example of someone refusing to even engage with facts.

@CamdenLurker these boxes are intended to provide ten lunches - two weeks worth of school meals. 2 x £15 = £30.

Arguably the most obvious choice is not to think catering companies giving people a few ingredients to prepare their own lunches at home are a better model than giving people top up funds or vouchers.

Katy pp...is your sirname Hopkins?

It's ridiculous to expect a loaf of bread to last a fortnight. Or not to supply anything to spread on it.

Oh god, the MN competitive under eating has started

I was just about to say this. How absolutely low can people be to choose this particular thread as a platform to brag about how little they eat. I have lost all faith in this site, and people in general really. It's shameful.

Surname*

Well I must have the wrong type of child because theyve just scarfed a large bowl of lentil soup, 2 slices of bread, a slice of cake and a piece of fruit and are still sniffing around for more. They are 13 and 15 and both at the bottom of the healthy weight range for their heights. Luckily I'm not reliant on the pitiful offering outlined above to feed them.

To be honest, i look at threads like this and wonder when the Government became responsible for feeding children?
And when did people become so entitled that they expected it? And complained because it wasn't enough?

There has been free school dinners for as long as I can remember I got them for a few years in the 70s my children got them for a year or so in and 90s and now we are in a pandemic where children are being homeschooled and yes those children are still entitled to free school meals.your post is either showing your ignorance of privilege im not sure which!

I don't think i am naive at all.
I think accepting that people can't afford to feed their own children without asking why is naive.