Please help with the school food bank!

[Superplanner]

Mumsnet hive mind,
Please can I ask for your help with a school food bank? I’m working in a secondary school in the minute and there are a number of children in need of top up food. There is a breakfast club and they get free school meals, but we’re trying to build up a dry store of filling snacks and dinner substitutes.
School have suggested pot noodles / super noodles which are great because they’re “just add water” and we’ll get protein bars.
What else would your hungry teens appreciate after school? Only stipulation is that it’s non perishable.
Thank you in advance, wise women of mumsnet!

Tuna based snack pots for protein with some crackers eg
John West Spreadables Tuna Mayonnaise Sweetcorn 80G
John West Light Lunch Mediterranean Style Tuna Salad 220G

Breadsticks tortilla chips and some salsa (in a jar) - not so nutritious but might be appealing for hungry teens

For the vegetarians this kind of thing

Wicked Kitchen Sweet Potato & 3 Bean Chilli 300G
Wicked Kitchen Jackfruit Dhal & Rice 300G

My teens love noodles,.so pot noodles, or the regular noodles, they make them themselves at home. No need for saucepan, just a bowl and boiling water.

Aldi's individual chocolate brioche's, or choc. Pancakes.

Chocolate

Individual cartons of apple juice.

Dried mango (Aldi)

Rice pudding sounds great, but will it get squished in their bags?

Pepperamis

Billabong

Trailmix (Aldi)

Cartons of uht milkshake

Packets of pasta in sauce (reheat in microwave)

Packets of veg cous cous as only need water for those too

cereal bars / protein bars

small packs of dried fruits

I was at the hospital recently, and was given a sealed packet of Jacob's crackers and a serving of cheese and butter. Made my day

Might be an option, for a snack for at school.

It is completely unbelievable atm how many families are “living” in temporary accommodation in the form of family rooms. there’s no cooking or washing facilities in the room and the bathroom and kitchen are shared by many other ppl
it may be the case that the parents aren’t eating either
It may not be the case that the kids who are not getting fed is down to neglect in all cases but to the parents in that situation being ground down by it all - I know I would be

Someone above suggested an after school cooking club.

I was wondering if the school has home economics classes? If they do could they do some no cook meals/ food in class?

Soups, instant hot chocolate, alternative instant pots like John West tuna ones

Also DC2 school does free hot chocolate for anyone who wants it one day a week. Run by a local church I think

Who's going to staff this? Already underpaid and unsupported staff? How about we get a government that priorities anyone but their rich mates and investors instead of lording it over the fact that we are experiencing victorian levels of poverty. PLEASE DONT VOTE TORY

To the PP who thinks food banks have aided the decline in support of the DSS (which no longer exists, the department of work and pensions, people no longer recieve social security payments it's now known as welfare benefits) the decline of support offered is due to nothing but the Tory rule since 2010 and osbournomics

Most people do

Yes most people do, but then most people are feeding their kids. The ones that aren't are the ones more likely to not have any cooking facilities for various reasons.

For a more nutritious just add hot water meal try Huel. Haven't tried myself but more flavours, calories and protein than a pot noodle. About £3/serving. They might donate/give discount given the intended use as they seem quite PR savvy.

Additionally, in order to help hungry kids out: the free school meals should be a lot bigger and more nutritious. School food is still very underfunded considering the obvious need of many children.

Not if they're in bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless. Not if they're sofa surfing and sleeping in other people's homes - yes whole families sometimes have to do this. Not if the parent is an alcoholic or a drug addict. A cooker or microwave is no use if the power has been cut off.

People who are saying pot noodles are unhealthy don't understand the poverty they some of these kids exist in. There are often no cooking facilities.

cup of soups, cereal and long life milk, pasta pots you add boiling water , crackers, cereal bars

Good list

It's not the opening of the can 🙄🙄🙄it's the electricity to heat the food. Much cheaper to boil one cups worth of water.

@Superplanner. Beyond pot noodles & bars I'm struggling to think of 'snacks' that are non perishable value for money 'snacks'

Canned tuna, canned beans. Stuff like that that is high on protein to keep them full

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/inside-the-primary-school-where-80-percent-are-homeless-but-hope-endures-ncfwsd3k3

This thread reminds me of a recent Times story. It’s scandalous how some children live.

Give them Pot Noodles!

Canned beans aren't that appetising, especially if they have to be eaten cold.

Cup a soup type things?

wraps and cheese slices?

i know support staff from DS school also deliver food parcels direct to homes of families who need them which is another discreet way of doing it - although obviously uses more staff time.