By Millions of children face the reality of ‘poorer’ school meals
A new survey has given a stark warning as around 1.8 million children could be faced with poorer quality school meals.
Sky News reported some 1.8 million children to face poorer quality school meals as a result of the rising cost of food.
The school caterers trade body LACA, said that food prices have risen by 30% since May 2022, with 28% of school caterers using more processed foods.
It is also reported more than a third of its members are also considering switching from British to imported meat.
LACA’s chairman Brad Pearce has called on the government to help.
“Without an increase in school meal funding the most vulnerable children in our society will go without, possibly, their only hot, healthy, and nutritious meal of the day,” he said.
“We are also urging the government to raise the FSM (free school meals) entitlement threshold to all children whose parents are on Universal Credit, to ensure that no child misses out on a school lunch.
“A hungry child cannot learn, but for too many children this could soon become their reality.”
The areas food banks have seen significant increases of attendees, with some reporting a sharp rise of around 30%.
