Free School Meals for 5-7 years old - A brave move or just another bribe? [Merged Thread]

[The Merry Prankster]

While I understand where you're coming from, if anybody seriously thinks that offering five year olds spaghetti bolognese and salmon cous cous every lunchtime rather than the Dairylea sandwiches that lazy mummy normally lobs in a lunchbox is going to make the slightest difference to our society, then you are truly deluded.

The ones who get given the crap food by Mummy anyway will continue to demand the crap food and turn their noses up at Jamie Oliver-style offerings, while the kids from the more privileged backgrounds will find that the mass-produced stuff that schools turn out is not remotely up to the Waitrose-sourced organic meals they get at home...yes, alright, I'm generalising a tad, but let's face it, kids are often fussy.

I could have had school dinners when I was that age if I'd asked for them: I chose not to, as I didn't like the food much. What's changed thirty years on (except there is a greater variety of instant-gratification junk food around to tempt juvenile palates away from cooked meals)? In terms of health, one decent meal a day will make sod all difference to the children this is aimed at, because they will continue to eat sugary cereals for breakfast, Birds Eye Potato Waffles and fish fingers for dinner, with a bag of Monster Munch and a packet of Skittles in between, all washed down with Coke and Kia-Ora.

It's a shameless publicity stunt that will have little or no impact on people's real lives, but might win a few votes from people who realise it will save them £500 a year on meals their kids would have eaten anyway. Or that they would have spent on Monster Munch. Utter waste of money.

Don't you think you might be stereotyping a bit too much here?

 

[somerset]

Re: At last

While I understand where you're coming from, if anybody seriously thinks that offering five year olds spaghetti bolognese and salmon cous cous every lunchtime rather than the Dairylea sandwiches that lazy mummy normally lobs in a lunchbox is going to make the slightest difference to our society, then you are truly deluded.

The ones who get given the crap food by Mummy anyway will continue to demand the crap food and turn their noses up at Jamie Oliver-style offerings, while the kids from the more privileged backgrounds will find that the mass-produced stuff that schools turn out is not remotely up to the Waitrose-sourced organic meals they get at home...yes, alright, I'm generalising a tad, but let's face it, kids are often fussy.

I could have had school dinners when I was that age if I'd asked for them: I chose not to, as I didn't like the food much. What's changed thirty years on (except there is a greater variety of instant-gratification junk food around to tempt juvenile palates away from cooked meals)? In terms of health, one decent meal a day will make sod all difference to the children this is aimed at, because they will continue to eat sugary cereals for breakfast, Birds Eye Potato Waffles and fish fingers for dinner, with a bag of Monster Munch and a packet of Skittles in between, all washed down with Coke and Kia-Ora.

It's a shameless publicity stunt that will have little or no impact on people's real lives, but might win a few votes from people who realise it will save them £500 a year on meals their kids would have eaten anyway. Or that they would have spent on Monster Munch. Utter waste of money.

If anything is shameless, this narrow view is, and from a serving copper too.

Repeat, its for five to seven year olds, the lunches will be a class activity, there won't be an 'a la carte' style menu approach whereby kids can opt out if the mood takes them.....and I know that food standards have moved on a tad since 'your day'.

 

[Buzzer]

Re: At last

While I understand where you're coming from, if anybody seriously thinks that offering five year olds spaghetti bolognese and salmon cous cous every lunchtime rather than the Dairylea sandwiches that lazy mummy normally lobs in a lunchbox is going to make the slightest difference to our society, then you are truly deluded.

The ones who get given the crap food by Mummy anyway will continue to demand the crap food and turn their noses up at Jamie Oliver-style offerings, while the kids from the more privileged backgrounds will find that the mass-produced stuff that schools turn out is not remotely up to the Waitrose-sourced organic meals they get at home...yes, alright, I'm generalising a tad, but let's face it, kids are often fussy.

I could have had school dinners when I was that age if I'd asked for them: I chose not to, as I didn't like the food much. What's changed thirty years on (except there is a greater variety of instant-gratification junk food around to tempt juvenile palates away from cooked meals)? In terms of health, one decent meal a day will make sod all difference to the children this is aimed at, because they will continue to eat sugary cereals for breakfast, Birds Eye Potato Waffles and fish fingers for dinner, with a bag of Monster Munch and a packet of Skittles in between, all washed down with Coke and Kia-Ora.

It's a shameless publicity stunt that will have little or no impact on people's real lives, but might win a few votes from people who realise it will save them £500 a year on meals their kids would have eaten anyway. Or that they would have spent on Monster Munch. Utter waste of money.

Absolute twaddle. Sorry but it is. I can assure you that if this goes ahead and I wish it would then thousands upon thousands of children will be better fed than they've ever been. And that's got to be good for them, for their ability to study and for everyone. One decent meal a day makes ALL the difference.

Salmon cous cous? Lazy stereotyping and cliches. We're talking about proper meals with fresh veg.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Absolute twaddle. Sorry but it is. I can assure you that if this goes ahead and I wish it would then thousands upon thousands of children will be better fed than they've ever been. And that's got to be good for them, for their ability to study and for everyone. One decent meal a day makes ALL the difference.

Salmon cous cous? Lazy stereotyping and cliches. We're talking about proper meals with fresh veg.

Totally agree - the repport about that 4 yr-old in Coventry who was scavenging for food in bins because his parents didn't feed him springs to mind. And for someone else above (I think it was Somerset) who talked about the "leafy Sussex Glades" or something similar, I am sure you will find chaotic families in Brighton, and Worthing and Hastings and Eastbourne and so on and so forth. I know this is a problem in Southampton and Portsmouth and every other major town.

 

[The Large One]

While I understand where you're coming from, if anybody seriously thinks that offering five year olds spaghetti bolognese and salmon cous cous every lunchtime rather than the Dairylea sandwiches that lazy mummy normally lobs in a lunchbox is going to make the slightest difference to our society, then you are truly deluded.

The ones who get given the crap food by Mummy anyway will continue to demand the crap food and turn their noses up at Jamie Oliver-style offerings, while the kids from the more privileged backgrounds will find that the mass-produced stuff that schools turn out is not remotely up to the Waitrose-sourced organic meals they get at home...yes, alright, I'm generalising a tad, but let's face it, kids are often fussy.

I could have had school dinners when I was that age if I'd asked for them: I chose not to, as I didn't like the food much. What's changed thirty years on (except there is a greater variety of instant-gratification junk food around to tempt juvenile palates away from cooked meals)? In terms of health, one decent meal a day will make sod all difference to the children this is aimed at, because they will continue to eat sugary cereals for breakfast, Birds Eye Potato Waffles and fish fingers for dinner, with a bag of Monster Munch and a packet of Skittles in between, all washed down with Coke and Kia-Ora.

It's a shameless publicity stunt that will have little or no impact on people's real lives, but might win a few votes from people who realise it will save them £500 a year on meals their kids would have eaten anyway. Or that they would have spent on Monster Munch. Utter waste of money.

Rubbish.

Good quality food contains nutritional values that add to healthy growth. The side-effects are better concentration spans, better behaviour, leading to better education.

You've dismissed in one feel swoop with some awful generalisations about how fussy kids are, ignoring the fact that food education is an important part of the curriculum.

There is an almighty gap between what a Dairylea sandwich and, say, pasta or bean salad can provide. It's not simply a case of getting something down their necks, it's about the quality of what goes down their necks. And if it's free, better still.

 

[somerset]

Rubbish.

Good quality food contains nutritional values that add to healthy growth. The side-effects are better concentration spans, better behaviour, leading to better education.

You've dismissed in one feel swoop with some awful generalisations about how fussy kids are, ignoring the fact that food education is an important part of the curriculum.

There is an almighty gap between what a Dairylea sandwich and, say, pasta or bean salad can provide. It's not simply a case of getting something down their necks, it's about the quality of what goes down their necks. And if it's free, better still.

Well I never!!!.... we actually agree.......

 

[The Large One]

Well I never!!!.... we actually agree.......

At present, my better half's school doesn't offer school meals, though the children and parents are encouraged to bring healthy packed lunches that don't involve crisps and sugary drinks. I'm sure most schools make that insistence. Indeed, each Wednesday, the children are asked to bring in one vegetable, and together - with adult supervision, of course - they make vegetable soup. That way, they're getting a sense of education, collaboration and a healthy hot meal.

 

[Kumquat]

There was a programme on recently about a school (I forget where) which introduced better food and banned packed lunches for a month. By the end of it, the kids concentration and academic performance had noticeably increased. They stopped because they could only afford to subsidise it for a month. The point is that it DOES make a difference and while I think other taxes should be looked at before child benefit, I think it is a good policy. The important thing is to ensure that it IS good food.

 

[Nibble]

I doubt this will ever come to light but out of all the crap my tax money is spent on this would be the most worthy. I consider my taxes my contribution to making the country a better place and this would meet that criteria. Don't know the ins and outs of what a diet can do for kids but I am fairly convinced a good diet improves a child's life and even if it is just one meal a day and they eat crap for every other meal, for a child to sit with others and eat one decent meal a day must be good for their mental wellbeing if nothing else. However, I strongly suspect this is one pie that will remain firmly in the sky and nowhere near a child's plate.

 

[somerset]

At present, my better half's school doesn't offer school meals, though the children and parents are encouraged to bring healthy packed lunches that don't involve crisps and sugary drinks. I'm sure most schools make that insistence. Indeed, each Wednesday, the children are asked to bring in one vegetable, and together - with adult supervision, of course - they make vegetable soup. That way, they're getting a sense of education, collaboration and a healthy hot meal.

...and even if that is just once a week, its once more than SOME may get in their own home environment.

 

[spring hall convert]

I have been saying this for years but at long last Nick Clegg has said that his party are going to give a free hot meal everyday to all primary school children. The cost wll be £600m but I think that this should be partly deducted from child benefit paid and ensures that every child has a hot meal rather than the money be spent down the pub or in the bookies.

Can't argue with this.

 

[Justice]

I wonder if this policy will also be extended to all the Polish children whom have never stepped foot in this country but yet are in receipt of child benefit because Daddy came over here and trounced the building industry.

 

[keaton]

Personally, I think it's excellent that children are offered the opportunity to have something which will improve their health, their education and the behaviour.

It makes for a better society in later years if a child is offered a good start.

Unless it's afree school where the lunch could be less healthy

 

[The Large One]

Unless it's afree school where the lunch could be less healthy

Well yes, sadly.

However, you'd like to think that there would be enough about the teaching staff to insist on good quality.

 

[Nibble]

At the Brighton school my ex taught at they had a breakfast club. I think parents paid summat like 2 quid a week for their kids to attend and eat a decent breakfast. Some of the parents claimed they couldn't afford even that so the head let them attend for free just to ensure the poorest kids had a decent meal. He did however despair when the same parents had a 20 a day habit and expensive clothing.

 

[nicko31]

Free School Meals for 5-7 years old - A brave move or just another bribe?

My immediate that was, sh1t...how are we going to pay for that? It gonna cost for £600m...

But I have to say its a brave move and far better than just a universal tax break. If the nations diet doesn't improve soon the NHS will almost certainly implode, obesity is a time bomb waiting to explode. The challenge is its gonna take a generation to change habits, when I was a school in the 80's it was fried donuts and break and chips with everything at lunchtime (you can thank Mrs.T for outsourcing meals to the lowest bidder for that) - now we're paying the price


Perhaps making food technology mandatory in the school cirriculum should also be considered, there's generation of ready meal addicts that just can't cook a boiled egg..

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'm against. I wrote the below first thing this morning explaining why but in short school meals aren't always that great and the money would be better targeted at breakfast clubs for the most needy and educating parents about food.

http://slightlysuburbandad.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/free-school-meals-and-phonics/

 

[keaton]

Well yes, sadly.

However, you'd like to think that there would be enough about the teaching staff to insist on good quality.

But free school's don't even have to have teachers!

I think it's a good idea in essence but I can see some issues and fear it coule just be another way for private companies to make money

 

[Ernest]

I thought we couldn't afford gimmicks like this ? Take away child benefits but feed children of millionaires for free

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Absolute twaddle. Sorry but it is. I can assure you that if this goes ahead and I wish it would then thousands upon thousands of children will be better fed than they've ever been. And that's got to be good for them, for their ability to study and for everyone. One decent meal a day makes ALL the difference.

Salmon cous cous? Lazy stereotyping and cliches. We're talking about proper meals with fresh veg.

I agree but the poorest children get free school meals anyway if their parents claim for them.