maidensarah Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 ALL primary school children aged 4-7 will now receive free hot meals every day. Any one else really pleased about this and think it's a great idea? Most people I know think it is, a few don't (usually the ones without children) I think it's a great idea as although packed lunches can be healthy, surely most of the time a hot meal is going to be better for them, give them more energy for their day and get them eating more of a variety. Packed lunches can be a bit boring every day and hard to vary. Also it will give children who have lazy and/or uninformed parents a chance for a decent lunchtime meal. (The teachers I know say there are plenty of them!) My son will benefit from this when he starts school next year and I'm so glad he will have a good meal in the middle of the day as it is a long day for them at that age. Yes there's lots of area that need money spent on but this has got to be well worth the investement. Hopefully they'll roll it out for older children too in the future. (When I was in secondary school my dad used to give me a £1 a day for my school lunch which afforded me some chips or something rubbish - not his fault really he just didn't have much idea about it all, and if I bought a 40p chocolate muffin at breaktime I wasn't left with a lot ha ha) What's the policy on this in Australia. Do any children there receive free school meals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeboard1980 Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I have kids and I can't get my head around this, if parents can't give their kids a proper lunch time meal I don't think giving free hot lunches will solve what could obviously be a bigger issue. I don't agree with giving free school meals. Kids in Aus don't get free meals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidensarah Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 I have kids and I can't get my head around this, if parents can't give their kids a proper lunch time meal I don't think giving free hot lunches will solve what could obviously be a bigger issue. I don't agree with giving free school meals. Kids in Aus don't get free meals. I think it could help a lot with those children. I think it's really sad that some parents don't, but there is plenty that don't. Not saying that all are abusive or neglectful parents just don't have much of a clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 For me it would depend on the quality of the free meal. I assume there will be really tight budgets for the kitchen to stick to. If the quality of the meals / ingredients is low, then I'd much rather send my child with a homemade packed lunch. For some kids even a substandard school meal is an improvement on the can of coke and a bag of crisps they would otherwise be sent with. So I guess it depends on what they provide at school vs what they would otherwise be sent with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeboard1980 Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I think it could help a lot with those children. I think it's really sad that some parents don't, but there is plenty that don't. Not saying that all are abusive or neglectful parents just don't have much of a clue. Agree but a bandaid on a gaping wound comes to mind. Mind you it's not the child's fault is it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 For me it would depend on the quality of the free meal. I assume there will be really tight budgets for the kitchen to stick to. If the quality of the meals / ingredients is low, then I'd much rather send my child with a homemade packed lunch. For some kids even a substandard school meal is an improvement on the can of coke and a bag of crisps they would otherwise be sent with. So I guess it depends on what they provide at school vs what they would otherwise be sent with. From what I've seen at my kids school, the meals are high quality. I think it is a good idea. Mine missed out, but it would make life much easier. Kids tend to experiment more when they see their friends trying things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 The primary school my children went to in the UK offered both hot meal or sandwich alternatives, they also provided free fruit at break time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 What's the policy on this in Australia. Do any children there receive free school meals? Generally no, although some schools do provide breakfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I thought kids from low income families already got free school meals? If its for all kids then no. Why should the tax payer pay for other people's kids food who can afford to feed them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I think it's a great idea. They should probably extend it to adults too. I mean, if it's free, why not? Sounds like the perfect way to nourish a nation without any associated cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 My eldest wouldn't have eaten school dinners at that age - he wouldn't even eat in the school hall for the first six months of school. My youngest might have eaten something but probably would have left have the stuff most days so gone more hungry than if he had a packed lunch of things he liked. I support free school lunches for the disadvantaged and low income earners but I'm with Que Sera Sera about tax payers shouldn't be paying to feed kids whose parents can afford to pay themselves. I'm also not a fan of a large meal in the middle of the day either as it can make you sleepy and slow in the afternoon, which isn't great for learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I am absolutely in favour of school meals, it is difficult to provide what I would consider healthy food in a cold packed lunch. At least at my son's school in Australia from P4 he could take things to heat up in a microwave so left overs became the norm I love the fact at his school here up to S6 school meals are compulsory and in Scotland they had healthy school meals long before Jamie Oliver (chips are once a week!). I am not sure about them being free, those that can afford to pay should but I don't think they should be able to opt out though unless there are strong dietary reasons why. I certainly don't recall a packed lunch being an option when I was at school - either you had a school lunch or you went home. One of the great things I find is my son will eat all kinds of things at school that he may have turned his nose up at home, peer pressure (& starvation!) quickly overcome fussy eating! He then finds out he like them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I thought kids from low income families already got free school meals? If its for all kids then no. Why should the tax payer pay for other people's kids food who can afford to feed them? Same as the Australian tax payer funding hundreds of thousands of indigenous families/kids. Same **** different country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Same as the Australian tax payer funding hundreds of thousands of indigenous families/kids. Same **** different country Compare that to the _millions_ of non-indigenous families that are on the welfare teat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I guess you could say why don't British kids have to pay for their stationery, text books, paper etc like we do here....if you look at a meal as part of the overall package provided at school...and an aid to learning...improving productivity by keeping blood sugar levels constant....I guess its a good use of funds....there's money wasted on all sorts and I don't see how anyone can argue that this is a 'waste'.....investment in young brains. Growth and nutrition at that vulnerable age is crucial to future health. It's a great initiative IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Compare that to the _millions_ of non-indigenous families that are on the welfare teat. I wouldn't know how many Australians are on the teat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 As I understand it parents don't have to take up this option and can still send kids with a packed lunch. Those who were paying for their younger kids school meals save a few £ a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Probably stop kids eating junk food as well ...? Good solid meal at lunch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkin Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I guess you could say why don't British kids have to pay for their stationery, text books, paper etc like we do here....if you look at a meal as part of the overall package provided at school...and an aid to learning...improving productivity by keeping blood sugar levels constant....I guess its a good use of funds....there's money wasted on all sorts and I don't see how anyone can argue that this is a 'waste'.....investment in young brains. Growth and nutrition at that vulnerable age is crucial to future health. It's a great initiative IMO Why aren't parents interested in investing in a nice hot meal for their child then? Why does it have to be tax payer funded (even for those that can afford it) in your view? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I guess you could say why don't British kids have to pay for their stationery, text books, paper etc like we do here....if you look at a meal as part of the overall package provided at school...and an aid to learning...improving productivity by keeping blood sugar levels constant....I guess its a good use of funds....there's money wasted on all sorts and I don't see how anyone can argue that this is a 'waste'.....investment in young brains. Growth and nutrition at that vulnerable age is crucial to future health. It's a great initiative IMO :notworthy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Why aren't parents interested in investing in a nice hot meal for their child then? Why does it have to be tax payer funded (even for those that can afford it) in your view? Why not charge parents for the kids going to school completely then? It is not the parents that benefit most from the child having a good education it is society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I'm not against having it for those that can't afford it but to me its giving benefits to those that can! There is far better use for money going to state schools than this surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I think part of the reason for making it free for everyone is probably that the take up of school meals where it is optional is relatively low and since parents pander to the demands of their children (me too, not judging!) packed lunches are a more desirable option meaning even those that are entitled to free meals don't take them or suffer teasing and humiliation because they are forced to. This levels the playing field - at my sons school food and drinks from outside are simply not allowed and I whole heartedly support that. As I said above make school meals compulsory for all but charge those that can afford it. (Just to be transparent, my son goes to a private school - we aren't charged for his food as such but we sure do pay!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 If you can afford to send a packed lunch to school surely you wouldn't mind contributing to a hot meal. I'm out of touch, does this mean no packed lunches allowed? I was racking my brains (difficult at my age!) I can't remember anything but hot lunches when I went to school in the 1950's. sorry, I'm not against children having a hot meal, I just don't think it should be free for all, but there must be a way that those who are or were entitled to a free meal not to feel stigmatised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Schools have enough on their plate ( excuse the pun!) If you can afford to feed your kids feed em! Let the schools use that money to educate , more teachers etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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