“What am I supposed to do with this!” Parents on meager school food packages | School meals

The government and the catering companies it has hired have faced criticism after photographs of free school lunch packages were posted online.

Food packages sent to children who are entitled to free school meals and who are in distance learning due to the national lockdown were not considered to contain enough high-quality food. The education ministry said it was looking into the matter and “the packages should be nutritious and contain a variety of foods.”

Four families who received food packages shared their response.

‘It makes it so difficult’

Mother of three, Karen Phillips, 33, was forced to spend her rent on meals for her children after receiving a ‘shameful’ food package from her school last week.

The package, meant to last all week for her 12-year-old daughter, contained no carbs except for two potatoes, alongside an onion, two peppers, a satsuma, a single tomato and carrot and two eggs wrapped in plastic wrap. The package also included a small jar of powdered soup, the same jar of tuna mayonnaise, and a small bag of grated cheese.

“I immediately called the school and said, ‘What am I supposed to do with this? They said they complained to their suppliers and they were going to start making food stamps instead, but they didn’t tell us when they would receive them. There were no instructions on what to do with the food and the school had no idea, ”said Phillips, who lives in Berkshire as a full-time parent.

“I would like to know how the restaurant business is doing,” she added.

Her two primary school children have yet to receive anything.

“I told the teacher that I was going to use my rent to pay for her daughters’ school lunches, but the teacher said she couldn’t help me,” she said. “It makes it so difficult. With homeschooled kids too, you don’t need the added stress of wondering if you can feed your kids.

“Where does the money go if that’s what they give people?

Sarah, a 36-year-old single mother in Birmingham, said she thought her package was ‘a bit of an insult’ when it was delivered from her daughter’s high school this week. The package did not contain any fresh food except two potatoes. It also included bagels which, although frozen, were nine months out of date.

With the packages supposedly costing £ 15 (for a child) from the government, Sarah said she couldn’t figure out where the extra money had gone.

“I know it’s free, and it helps, but they get government funding to do it,” she said. “Where does the money go if that’s what they give people? It’s a bit disappointing.

‘It’s totally shocking’

For her three children in high school, Caroline McMullen, 42, received “a small loaf of bread, apple juice, an apple each, a bag with a handful of pasta each, three small bags of raisins, slices of cheese, a pot of butter and three cans of beans, ”which was to last 10 days. Other than three apples, there was no fresh fruit or veg included.

“I’ve seen parents post negative reviews of their packages on Twitter, but I think at least you have a tomato. I haven’t had a single one, ”said McMullen, who lives in Blackpool.

“Because of Covid, I try to force as many fruits and vegetables as possible into children’s mouths, to keep their immune systems in place. Giving them pasta and raisins is disgusting.

McMullen said the food would not go far enough to feed his children for the 10-day period.

“It’s totally shocking,” she said. “I have a 14 year old boy who eats me out of the house and out of the house. How do you tell him he only has one apple? It’s not even a bag of pasta, it’s a handle in a bag.

She is also concerned that the school will not be able to deliver the packages. After the school confirmed another case of the coronavirus on Tuesday morning, she said she feared she would have to go to school to collect food.

“What’s the point of preventing children from going to school if I have to go?” I feel like I have to choose between letting them starve or risking an infection, ”she says.

“ When you are given food that you cannot eat, it is a waste ”

Other parents worried that the limited supply and lack of choice in the packages would mean children with dietary needs could not benefit.

In Reading, one of Sharon’s three children * has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a medical condition that means her diet is severely restricted.

“It is totally unnecessary that I accept the food package consisting of potatoes and Soreen snacks, pasta and beans, while he is unable to eat anything due to his dietary needs”, a- she declared.

Sharon has yet to receive her package, but has emailed her son’s school to see if they can tailor it to her son’s needs. For families like hers, Sharon said, the voucher system was much more efficient and better value for money.

“At least with the voucher I’m able to buy food that he’s actually allowed to eat,” she says. “When you are given food that you cannot eat, it is a waste. It should be more of a general policy. The vouchers are much easier, they allow you to use the program for your family. “

* Name has been changed