Would giving all children free school meals actually safe the public purse money long term?

[Kendodd]

Really good quality, highly nutritional, tailored to children's needs and vegetarian. I know this would cost a lot, but if it improves the nations health long term, would it actually cost less?

I work in a school. One problem I find is that dcs who haven't been encouraged to eat healthy food or a variety of foods at home tend to be fussy at school. I work in infants and most parents order the free school meals for obvious reasons. So much food is wasted as dcs refuse to eat veggies or anything that's a bit different. On the other hand, I sometimes feel the catering company tries to be a bit too clever eg how many six year olds like falafel, especially when it's served dry with no dip?

Food has to be appealing, easy to eat in a short time and nutritious - not always as easy as it sounds.
I bet more of them would have tried it with a tomato or creamy dip.

Exactly! That particular meal stood out for me because one of our FSM pupils in the juniors ordered it and tried his best to eat it but it was so tasteless, he couldn't finish it. He was still hungry but there was nothing leftover to give him. I offered to make him some toast but he wouldn't accept. He comes from a really poor family and FSM are supposed to make sure dcs like that get at least one good meal a day. I actually cried at home that night.

Why can other countries do it then? What's so incompetent about the UK?

Because they prioritise spending on other things. France spend ~£10 billion a year on disability benefits, we spend £40 billion.

'We' also have underfed and malnourished children, for whom the priority is calories of any kind, as long as they get them in, because they aren't going to get them at home.

Which begs the question, is this because there are less disabled people as a proportion of the population partially as a consequence of good school food? Or do they just value disabled peoples freedom less than we do? Certainly I've heard france has a dreadful attitude towards sen children.

Also there are strict guidelines. Just because its pizza doesn't mean its junk.
That pizza if cucina is made on site with dough with hidden veg, tomatoes, cheese, meat on top. That's not unhealthy or heavily processed. It's nothing like buying a takeaway pizza. On the other hand salad bars are not suitable to keep, often contaminated, and go off very very quickly, quicker than the lunch hour.
People have no understanding of nutrition or processing and assume pizza bad, salad good but the salad is more heavily processed, bagged in nitrogen.

They manage to keep the salad bar just fine at my school for the two/two and a half hours that lunch is served over

I have spent quite a bit of time in France, their relationship with the state is different to ours. They see it more as a collaborative adult relationship - you pay tax and take responsibility for your health and life as much as you can, and in return the state is in a good financial position to help if you seriously stumble as well as quality public services. Here it’s more like parent and child - the state are expected to provide everything and intervene to fix every issue in an individual’s life, personal responsibility isn’t really a thing and there’s no requirement to give much back to society.

Agree with pp. I’m not in the UK but the salad bar is absolutely fine. Fresh and cold. I eat it myself.

Where we live all children receive free school meals. The budget is about £2.90 per meal.

This is weeks menu is below with the veggie option first each time
Monday
Vegetarian lasagne (mixed beans in place of meat), shredded carrots and cabbage
Beef lasagne then the same sides

Tuesday
Creamy pasta with courgettes, peas and cabbage and a salad leaves
White fish pasta with the same sides

Wednesday
Vegetarian swedish meatballs, mash, peas, broccoli, gravy and berries
Pork/beef meatballs with the same above

Thursday
Fritatta with onions, peppers and potato with a salad leaves
Fritatta with everything above and some ham in the fritatta

Friday
Veggie pattie in a bun with salad, wedges and coleslaw
Pea steak in a bun with the above

Last week he had
Monday
Falafel, sweet potato wedges, hummus and salad
no meat option

Tuesday
Chicken and cauliflower curry with bulgar wheat and a dry slaw
Eggs in place of chicken for the veggie option

Wednesday
Chowmein with mixed veg and a friend egg on top
chicken chowmein with mixed veg

Thursday
green veg risotto
White fish and green veg ristto

Friday
Veggie hotdog, bun, corn on the cob, green beans
As above but meat hotdog

There is a salad bar and children must choose three different items each day, the choices are usually tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, leaves, boiled eggs, potato salad, mixed beans, couscous, olives, shredded carrot, shredded cabbage and pickles.

Because they have limited understanding about nutrition and aren’t keen on learning.

God I wish school would do a baguette or panini for lunch.
The issue is that it does still come down to bulk cooking skills for some meals; DS hates the over-cooked pasta and rice at school even thoiugh he eata loads of both at home.

I don't think people have appreciated enough the FSM impact either. Our school really struggle that many of those who would have applied and got extra budget... don't bother, because the meals are being supplied anyway. So schools are missing out where they should get extra funding.

To be fair, a hot meal/snack is more appealing in colder weather.

My kids got free school meals - we live in Scotland - but refused to eat them because they were utterly disgusting. I saw the menu and could see their point. Just lots and lots of processed crap. Blurgh!

Food has to be appealing, easy to eat in a short time and nutritious - not always as easy as it sounds.

I blame guidelines imposed from above that dictate low salt and low sugar and low everything. The result – kids learn that healthy food doesn't taste good.