Free school meals deliveries underway
Parents of children who can't receive their usual free school meal because they are at home are now receiving weekly food packs - and they are very different to the ones recently reported in national media.
Each pack has been carefully designed by our chefs to be nutritious and well-balanced and contains a suggested menu for five or ten daily lunches plus all of the food necessary to prepare them.
Councillor Gary Haley, Cabinet member for Children and Learning, says:
"I'm sure many of us have seen the photos of poor quality food packs prepared for children receiving free school meals by private-sector catering firms in other parts of the country.
"I am happy to reassure residents that our standards are much, much higher and our packs are certainly not designed down to a price.
"Nutritional balance is absolutely key and everything chosen to go in our packs by our chefs is designed to give a young child the daily protein, vitamins and carbohydrates they need for a busy day of learning at home.
"Our food packs are not just a random selection of food items, we offer a full balanced menu including a hot meal, fresh salad, a piece of fruit, a yoghurt or a biscuit, and a drink each and every day, and every pack contains all the ingredients to prepare that menu."
For the parents or guardian of a child eligible for free school meals who is working at home, receiving a meal pack ensures that they can always offer their child a hot nutritional meal during the day - something that Domenic Volpe, head teacher at Kingsmeadow School in Dunston, believes is essential.
"It's very important that children continue to receive the free school meals that they are entitled to in school", he says.
"We have over 50% of our students who are entitled to a free school meal, and to be able to concentrate and to do the very best in the work that they have been set, it's important that they have the right nutrition."
"We have a lot of children at home doing remote learning, they are being set hours of work each day and the opportunity to have a meal that they can look forward to is important."
Councillor Haley added: "We are indebted to our excellent school catering teams who are doing a brilliant job not only in providing meals each day in school but in making up packs for children who are not in school.
"Much of the praise they have rightly received is due to their continued commitment to providing good wholesome nutritious food to children who need it."
Parents of children who can't receive their usual free school meal because they are at home are now receiving weekly food packs - and they are very different to the ones recently reported in national media.
Each pack has been carefully designed by our chefs to be nutritious and well-balanced and contains a suggested menu for five or ten daily lunches plus all of the food necessary to prepare them.
Councillor Gary Haley, Cabinet member for Children and Learning, says:
"I'm sure many of us have seen the photos of poor quality food packs prepared for children receiving free school meals by private-sector catering firms in other parts of the country.
"I am happy to reassure residents that our standards are much, much higher and our packs are certainly not designed down to a price.
"Nutritional balance is absolutely key and everything chosen to go in our packs by our chefs is designed to give a young child the daily protein, vitamins and carbohydrates they need for a busy day of learning at home.
"Our food packs are not just a random selection of food items, we offer a full balanced menu including a hot meal, fresh salad, a piece of fruit, a yoghurt or a biscuit, and a drink each and every day, and every pack contains all the ingredients to prepare that menu."
For the parents or guardian of a child eligible for free school meals who is working at home, receiving a meal pack ensures that they can always offer their child a hot nutritional meal during the day - something that Domenic Volpe, head teacher at Kingsmeadow School in Dunston, believes is essential.
"It's very important that children continue to receive the free school meals that they are entitled to in school", he says.
"We have over 50% of our students who are entitled to a free school meal, and to be able to concentrate and to do the very best in the work that they have been set, it's important that they have the right nutrition."
"We have a lot of children at home doing remote learning, they are being set hours of work each day and the opportunity to have a meal that they can look forward to is important."
Councillor Haley added: "We are indebted to our excellent school catering teams who are doing a brilliant job not only in providing meals each day in school but in making up packs for children who are not in school.
"Much of the praise they have rightly received is due to their continued commitment to providing good wholesome nutritious food to children who need it."
