By Louise Flanagan
Last year, I wrote a column about how tricky and annoying it was to pack a school lunch for my kids.
Between them turning their noses up at various options to the cost it added to the weekly grocery bill, I really struggled with the lunchbox. Then, low and behold, the government rolled out the hot meals scheme in the majority of primary schools. They still haven’t reached every school, but hopefully that will happen soon.
My kids’ school has had it up and running for about a year now and overall, I think it’s a fantastic initiative. Like everything, there are pros and cons and certain teething problems too as the scheme takes root.
I’ve kept my ear to the ground, asking principals, teachers and other parents about their experiences of the hot meals scheme. I’ve also had a good snoop on social media to get a sense of how the scheme is working in schools both locally and nationally.
Generally, principals have noticed a positive impact since the roll out of the scheme. Many note that it has improved attendance and also concentration levels in the classroom.
Most kids eat the meals with very few opting out of the scheme entirely. Children also have the option of eating a second meal if there are any left over due to absence; I’ve noticed my own kids have come home the odd time with a meal box labelled for another child, and they’ve explained that they were feeling extra wolfish that day!
As for waste, kids in most schools take leftovers home. This saves the school having to dispose of it but it also gives parents the opportunity to see how much food their child has eaten that day.
The main reason I think it’s a wonderful initiative is because it ensures that every child has access to at least one hot meal a day. It’s sad to think that they might rely on it to fill their bellies for the day, but that is the reality for many children and their families.
I did speak to one teacher in a disadvantaged school in Dublin who told me that the scheme has backfired in a sense; some parents aren’t bothering to cook their kids a hot meal in the evening, now that they are fed one at school. This attitude is deplorable, but I suppose, if that’s their approach to parenting, it’s probably for the best that the kids get fed consistently at school.
Generally speaking, there seems to be a good variety of meal options available. These include chicken curry, pasta bolognaise, mash, veg and sausages. Our school’s provider offers over a dozen meal options every day, including vegetarian options.
There has been some outcry about the idea of serving up a portion of plain pasta or rice to a child and calling it a meal; however, I think it’s important that such options remain available for picky eaters or kids with sensory issues. If you don’t approve, don’t allow your own child to choose that option, but leave them there for others to consider. I have heard of one clever child who orders plain pasta and brings in a pot of pesto to whip up his own tasty meal. And my daughter insists on bringing a bottle of ketchup to school to add a little something to her hot meals.
The scheme mightn’t be perfect, but of all the things the government spends taxpayers’ money on – bicycle sheds and mobile phone pouches spring to mind – feeding our children isn’t the worst.
Louise Flanagan is an admin of Letterkenny Babies Facebook page and the author of the children’s book series, Dragonterra and Dream Beasts. www.dragonterra.ie
Her Parenting column appears every Thurdsay in the Donegal News.
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