There is a “big variation” in the quality of free school meals provided to children with many companies “really up against it” because of the budget. 

The Hot School Meals programme was introduced in 2019 with 30 schools included in a trial pilot.

Last month, the Government announced the scheme would be funded in a further 900 schools and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said she was “absolutely determined to continue to expand the Hot School Meals Programme to every Primary School in Ireland.”

Speaking to Moncrieff, Food Policy Consultant Ruth Hegarty said some principals are struggling with the programme.

“It’s not being done centrally,” she said.

“The Department of Social Protection, who are behind the scheme, are distributing the funds to schools and schools are actually doing the tendering process for catering providers themselves.”

Ms Hegarty said many primary school principals “don’t really have any experience” in awarding catering contracts and much of it is being done by word of mouth.

“They weren’t given a list of approved suppliers and speaking to a principal locally, he said he went out, talked to other principals, some catering companies and some catering companies had come to the principals conference to offer their [services],” Ms Hegarty said.

“So, it was very much just kind of going out and finding these companies who were popping up around the country to provide these hot school meals.”

Children at a primary school eating lunch in September 2015. Picture by: NorthScape / Alamy Stock Photo

Currently, the budget for each meal is €3.20 for each meal but Ms Hegarty believes the amount often doesn’t go very far.

“It’s clear there’s a big variation in quality,” she said.

“I’d say there’s suppliers out there who are doing a pretty good job but it’s very challenging with €3.20.

“If you were spending €3.20 on ingredients for your lunch, that would be fantastic but of course if you’re going to have to hire staff and have a premises and run a website where the parents can log in and make their meal choices and then source all of this packaging and supply the meals into schools - and make a profit.

“There’ll be very little left out of that €3.20 for quality food sourcing, so I think the suppliers are really up against it with the budget that’s in place.”

Currently, there are roughly 1,400 schools in Ireland taking part in the Hot School Meals programme.

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Main image: Children having lunch at school. Picture by: Alamy.com