Free school meals

[Motherof3feminists]

My dd gets free school meals and the school has meals provided by Taylor Shaw. They are given £2.10 a day but most options seem to cost £1.90 leaving not enough for a drink or a piece of fruit. The slices of pizza are tiny and she often comes home "starving" as that's all she's had. The provision doesn't seem to be great for veggies and she says there's often not much left.

I am waiting for the school to get back to me but I wondered if this was how things are at secondary school? At primary (same company) they got a decent sized meal, and at least one pudding of not two! (Apparently this has been stopped now and I'm glad as she was having 3 pudding a day as I didn't know she was getting 2 at school!)

Maybe parents are supposed to subsidise meals once at secondary school?

At DC's secondary the FSM payment covers a main meal (from a choice, always including a different veggie option) and a dessert. This is a much lower relative price than buying other items such as pizza, wraps, pasta bowls ... And is a reasonable amount of food.

I can see in real time on our school app what ds is buying that day for food- meals, drinks, snacks etc. I thought this type of app all schools now had? Some days he spend £5, although he takes a bottle of water to school, if he’s had PE and Games, then rugby practice, he may buy another 3 bottles, plus food. Thankfully new water fountains have just been installed so it’s easier for them to fill up their bottles (provided by the school).

I think you're right and she might be playing you!

Ours has a meal of the day (veggie option) which includes a drink and pudding/fruit, and there's enough to get a snack at break time too with their FSM money. They could get a pizza slice or something similar but you get less for your money than if you got a meal if that makes sense.

My DS generally gets something at break, like a bagel, and maybe a panini at lunch. He occasionally spends more that his FSM amount but not by much. He always has water with him. I’ve asked him lost if times about proper meals and apparently they do do them, he doesn’t like what’s on offer and also none of his friends get the meal so doesn’t want to be different. I think you’ll find that a meal is on offer everyday. The clubs at my son’s school often give out early lunch passes so kids can get food and attend the club.