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.

I don't think I've ever bought a load of bread that would have still been edible after two weeks. They're not exactly a long shelf life item.

But of course people think that poor families should just shut up and be grateful.

My autistic child wouldn't eat one bite of that food pack, not even the bread unless it was their specific brand that they'll tolerate. What about those kids?

Even Marks & Spencers would not cost that for those items.
Fresh stuff from Lidl or Aldi is spot on but not the branded stuff urgh!
I am sure people are grateful to receive something for free but they feel they are not in a position to argue because it is a handout.
I am fully behind giving recipients the power to give feedback and be listened to.

The cost of food for a school dinner in school is usually costed at about 80p per meal, the rest of the cost relates to wages and other overheads, maybe they have used this costing model for making up the hampers. Not saying they are right to do that.

@SendHelp30

That’s a very ignorant post. FSM are provided to protect children. Children may only get a good meal at school.

Hang your head in shame.

I don't think I've ever bought a load of bread that would have still been edible after two weeks. They're not exactly a long shelf life item.

Exactly. And if they do, they must be chock full of artificial stuff.

"I've never spent £3 on an adult lunch, let alone a childs. Around £1 per head is adequate as dinner is the main meal of the day."

Is "adequate" what we are after here for the poorest children? For many, school dinner is the only meal of the day

Also, are you cool with the difference between the value of this food, being spent from the public purse on profits for the shareholders of the company, Marie-Antoinette? That our grandchildren will be paying for etc etc.

£30 would buy a lot of food in Aldi or Lidl

Some supermarkets also do boxes, fir a couple of quid. Providing alot more fruit and veg than this. Enough to probably do a decent batch of soup .

That box takes the piss they have made 20 quid at least per box and fed the kids scraps

Why would anybody do this? If you sell your food voucher you still need to buy food for your family unless you are literally starving them (at which point you would hope child protection would step in). It doesn't make any sense at all

Local to us some parents were known to have been trying to use the vouchers to purchase alcohol. If unsuccessful they were selling/swapping for alcohol. In either case they were regularly going to foodbanks and community projects (there are several in our area that people can just turn up at, no need to evidence personal circs etc). So I can see why food has been given instead, it's just a pity there was no attempt to oversee what was given out.

Parents should be topping it up themselves if they aren’t happy with the FREE food they’ve been given. So bloody entitled.

Are you serious? Do you understand why these "meals" exist in the first place? The actual purpose of them?

@SendHelp30 so you’re happy for the money to be pocketed by the private company then? That’s ok as far as you’re concerned? Because this money has been spent by the government already. And it’s gone into the bank accounts of Tory donors, not on food for children. Why should the company get free money and poor people not get free food? Why is that morally and ethically superior in your opinion?

@DecemberSun

There are costs involved, wages, rates, storage. It's naive to assume the whole amount should be spent on food.

There's a difference between not spending the whole amount on food and not even spending 1/3 of it on food. If any supplier of mine was charging me 200%+ overheads they'd be out the door sharpish. Especially if they were trying to argue a separately leveraged overhead charge on all items for storage for example, when some don't require refrigeration. Or on rates when they're using existing premises.

But then, I give a shit about the people I'm providing services to which is main the difference between me and the government's preferred supplier

The cost of food for a school dinner in school is usually costed at about 80p per meal, the rest of the cost relates to wages and other overheads, maybe they have used this costing model for making up the hampers. Not saying they are right to do that.

But they are hot cooked meals which are varied every day. With all the ingredients bought in bulk including things to make reasonably tasty food.

@HikeForward

Maybe we need to remember the country’s in economic crisis too? School budgets are stretched to breaking point.

Not sure that the government paying £30 for £6 of food is “best value” in those circumstances.

I thought it was for a child's lunch for 10 days, not to feed mum and dad plus kids for 10 days when the kids are at school- a much isn't sent home for mum and dad.....

Our school had food parcels via morrisons. They included
1 white toastie loaf
Pack of crumbed ham
Dairylea triangles
Frubes
Savers mayo
Savers tuna tin
Cucumber
3 bananas
2 plums
3 mini raisin boxes
orange squash
Savers pack of spaghetti
pack of pasta
Savers pasta sauce jar
Savers tin of corn
tub of stork

It was originally supposed to include Cereal, milk, mini cheddars and cover 5 breakfasts and lunches but they must have changed it in favour for the ham and fresh produce which is fair.

www.morrisons-corporate.com/media-centre/corporate-news/morrisons-to-introduce-service-to-feed-self-isolating-schoolkids/

Local to us some parents were known to have been trying to use the vouchers to purchase alcohol

Some high earners cheat the tax system. Perhaps all high earners should have their income diverted to the tax man to dole out for HMRC approved purchases.

everybodysang

anyone defending this needs to really consider what the fuck is wrong with themselves. We live in a country with a totally corrupt government and this is yet another symptom of that. And yet BofuckingJo and his cunty cronies get voted in again and again.

You disgust me.“

I’d give up if I were you. It’s very clear that many PP have never known what it’s like to have nothing in the house, no money for the meter.
We’re comfortable, warm home, good food but I can remember stealing bonio dog biscuits from the tin at 4/5 years old in the late 60s because I was so hungry and getting a beating for eating a plate of sliced corned beef that was intended for the family. No, I’m not making that up for effect. That children are still in the same situation now breaks my heart.
I wonder whether some of these people have one.

I agree that the issue is who is making the profit from this.

@everybodysang it doesn't matter that it's ADEQUATE, it matters what has been paid to the company to provide it and what they're fobbing people off with.

Are schools paying the companies £30?

Just because the vouchers were previously £15 a week, does that mean that definitely what the schools/government are paying their suppliers?

I don't think that box is enough for 10 days. But I'm finding it odd that people think they are entitled to £15 per week per child. They are actually entitled to food to make 1 meal per week per child, which probably costs £5 or so per week.

If someone is charging the school/government £30 for that box, then its daylight robbery, absolutely. But a box of food to cover 10 child size lunches shouldn't cost anything close to £30.

Again reminded of this by some of you...

People have costed the food at retail value and its rubbish, but let's not also forget that this company will be paying wholesale prices so the cost to them is even less.

@Toasty280 exactly

@LegoPirateMonkey no I’m saying it shouldn’t be a bloody thing at all. The idea that you would have a child or more than one child and then expect tax payers and the government to feed, clothe, heat & house them is just absolutely beyond me. If you cannot support a child then don’t have them. If your circumstances change then you make every effort to do something about it. A lady I work with has 3 jobs to support her kids so that she can provide everything they need. Where is the pride? The work ethic? The ambition?

@Grenlei

Why would anybody do this? If you sell your food voucher you still need to buy food for your family unless you are literally starving them (at which point you would hope child protection would step in). It doesn't make any sense at all

Local to us some parents were known to have been trying to use the vouchers to purchase alcohol. If unsuccessful they were selling/swapping for alcohol. In either case they were regularly going to foodbanks and community projects (there are several in our area that people can just turn up at, no need to evidence personal circs etc). So I can see why food has been given instead, it's just a pity there was no attempt to oversee what was given out.

Yes, a small percentage of parents have always been shitty. Again why does that justify removing a system that was working well for the majority of kids and pumping millions into a private company?

@IndecentFeminist Carrot soup, roast carrots when you bake potatoes mush through a sieve or liquidise with a bit of potatoe, add water

If you had any milk/salt/stock cube/bit of cheese/pepper/butter would be nicer. Warm through and serve with toast.