Wellingborough mum 'grateful' for free school meal but shocked at contents

A Wellingborough mum, who shared a photo of her seven-year-old son's free school meal pack up, has said how life under lockdown has made it hard to feed her child.

The full-time student planning to study nursing at university in September had been receiving free school meal vouchers worth £15 to spend on food at supermarkets.

At the start of lockdown three, when pupils returned to home-schooling, she was told she could collect a weekly free school meal package.

Sharing the photo on the Northants Telegraph Facebook page, comments included that she 'should be grateful', count herself 'lucky' and that the food parcel was adequate but not 'value for money'.

The mum-of-one, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "I can make five meals for my son out of the ingredients - cheese sandwiches, baked potatoes with hoops, pasta with tuna - but before we were given a £15 voucher that I could use in any supermarket on food.

"The parcel I was given at the school was no more than £4 worth of food. If you shop wisely you can get a whole bag of carrots and a whole bag of potatoes, ten Frubes for a pound.

"I understand that people might think I'm ungrateful - I am grateful, but I was a little bit shocked that it's a £15 food package."

The family-of-two have been studying from home, which has increased their fuel bills. In an effort to keep warm they have put on extra layers but the cold weather has increased the costs.

She said: "We have bills for the gas and electric. I think the bills have doubled - it's an extra £15 for two to three days because we are indoors more.

"I have to deal with that and budget. I get £3 a day from college for my meals which is a massive help. We can survive but he eats quite a lot. I wish I could feed him more."

A statement issued by The Department for Education this morning (Thursday) said: "We expect caterers to ensure our food standards are met and adhered to when lunch parcels are prepared.

"Since January 4, schools have been able to provide local vouchers instead. From next week the National Voucher scheme will resume."

The Wellingborough mum's food parcel contained: one loaf of wholemeal bread, one small bag of pasta, two potatoes, two oranges, one tin of tuna, a fruity pot, one can of soup, one can of spaghetti hoops, a single carrot, a small block of cheese and three Frube yoghurts.

Commenting on the photo of the Wellingborough school meal pack one mum said: "It’s not on a par with the hot meal they would receive at school. What worries me is that many struggling parents rely on their child’s hot lunch as their main healthy hot meal of the day. This does not match what they would normally eat and certainly won’t have cost £30... I think we can do better. At provision and at compassion."

Another said: "For five lunches for one child yes there is enough there, that could make two jacket potatoes pasta for two days, hoops on toast and soup and sandwich .. also enough bread to make toast as a snack .. school dinners are not much bigger .. I have seen children who bring packed lunches from home (not free school meals) bring just a sandwich and a piece of fruit. Its a lunch that is plenty for a child."

One dad wrote: "Think yourself lucky you got that food for nothing some people go to to work all week and struggle to feed their kids and they don’t get any help."

Another said: "Apart from the fact it isn't value for money, it's a lunch. Enough for a sandwich and a piece of fruit every day. With the rest going towards evening meals. Complain about the value but not what you've been given. The homeless don't get it.. they would be grateful."

People are eligible for free school meals if you get any of the following:

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)

• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)