England: Shameful food poor children receive goes viral, controversy grows

The announcement of the strengthening of quarantine in England has led to a change in habits, for example, of school canteens. These were closed for the next two weeks, due to the advance of the coronavirus in this country, and the institutions distributed bags to beneficiary families to pay for the feeding of the children.

The controversy arose when some parents began to viralize in the networks what contained the bag with which they were supposed to feed their children for two weeks: three apples, two bananas, two carrots, two potatoes, a can of beans, a loaf of bread. lactal with cheese slices, noodles and five treats.

These are the foods that the British state provided the students to consume during the further two weeks of detention. According to the law of this country, this should be sufficient for “nutritious breakfasts” while they are at home.

Although the value of the food received must have been around 30 pounds, a mother who posted the photo said no more than £ 5 was spent on these products. Asking to remain anonymous, she told the BBC: “When I opened this food package I looked at the contents, I felt very sad and depressed”.

“Where did the rest of the food go?” Why is it so bad? “, He added.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke after the controversy the issue sparked. The president called the images posted on the Internet “shameful” and criticized the quality of the food. “They are horrific and an insult to the families who received them,” he said.

In communication with the BBC, another low-income family said they received frozen bread, canned tomatoes, noodles and grated cheese in a plastic bag and crackers. Others said they received up to a package of flour and instructions for kneading and baking eight loaves of bread. Another mom wondered, “What am I supposed to do with just one potato?”

Vicky Ford, Minister of Children and Families, said before the controversy that “the photos that are shared on social media are totally unacceptable and do not reflect the high level of free school meals that we expect to send to children “.

Education Minister Gavin Williamson said he was “absolutely outraged” by the packages being distributed and noted that the government “will support any school that wants to sue suppliers.”

“As a parent, I asked myself how a family that gets what is expected of them can prepare five nutritious meals (for the children) as needed. This is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it, ”he added.

Anne Longfield, UK commissioner for children, called on state suppliers to provide “real food in real quantities for real families”. For his part, pediatrician Max Davie said this food “is not nutritious enough for children and young people.”

The company responsible for delivering the food said it would “immediately investigate” what happened and “this does not reflect the standard contents of any of our packages.”