Free School Meals during covid

[Lisdiz]

Slightly off topic, but I am really feeling for the families that have been handed about £5 worth of food to feed their children rather then the food voucher. My heart breaks for the treatment you are receiving. It’s completely unacceptable. With lockdowns etc any family is at risk of needing to be on benefits from all the companies collapsing and job losses.
It’s an absolutely scandal that companies are profiting off the need to feed children.



i am editing to add I have just broke down and sobbed over this, i am so sorry for any of you that have this offering given to you. There but the grace of god go I.
The only thing I know to so right now is offer up as much as I can afford to local food banks, including treats for children.
if you are feeling invisible in this right now, just know i care deeply and I see you. Sending love.

 

[Jc456]

Slightly off topic, but I am really feeling for the families that have been handed about £5 worth of food to feed their children rather then the food voucher. My heart breaks for the treatment you are receiving. It’s completely unacceptable. With lockdowns etc any family is at risk of needing to be on benefits from all the companies collapsing and job losses.
It’s an absolutely scandal that companies are profiting off the need to feed children.

We've had nothing from our school!

 

[Bitofthebubbly]

Slightly off topic, but I am really feeling for the families that have been handed about £5 worth of food to feed their children rather then the food voucher. My heart breaks for the treatment you are receiving. It’s completely unacceptable. With lockdowns etc any family is at risk of needing to be on benefits from all the companies collapsing and job losses.
It’s an absolutely scandal that companies are profiting off the need to feed children.

Just read about this and it’s shocking isn’t it. Sadly I’ve seen lots of comments saying people should be grateful for anything they get for free and to stop complaining and being ungrateful. Like, that’s not really the point? Families have been told to expect £30 worth of food to feed their kids and they’re getting £5. What’s happened to the other £25? In the companies back pocket? That’s stealing in my book. Sad that so many don’t seem to see the problem and are ok with seeing people struggle over businesses making profit.

We don’t get fsm but my kids school are doing vouchers thankfully.

 

[OatMatchaLatte]

How on earth is that supposed to feed a child lunch for 10 days?! It's a disgrace. And not even an efficient use of £5 either.

Those spouting the "they should be thankful line" should be thankful they're not reliant on this and keep their mouths shut.

 

[Platypusfattypus]

Just read about this and it’s shocking isn’t it. Sadly I’ve seen lots of comments saying people should be grateful for anything they get for free and to stop complaining and being ungrateful. Like, that’s not really the point? Families have been told to expect £30 worth of food to feed their kids and they’re getting £5. What’s happened to the other £25? In the companies back pocket? That’s stealing in my book. Sad that so many don’t seem to see the problem and are ok with seeing people struggle over businesses making profit.

We don’t get fsm but my kids school are doing vouchers thankfully.

Sums up this society that people get more angry with those that need assistance then they do those who profit from people needing assistance. bleeping sick of this entitlement and selfishness from people who think they are above others.

 

[Tublet83]

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Here’s what my local authority is providing for FSM. They did use the vouchers but I know friends found them a nightmare

 

[monga]

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Here’s what my local authority is providing for FSM. They did use the vouchers but I know friends found them a nightmare

Anyone on FSM here gets £12.50 put into their bank account my sister works part time but she has a special needs child so she gets it even though her husband works too.

 

[Yel]

Moved this to a new thread as lots won't see it in covid.

Something's gone wrong somewhere but difficult to judge how bad it is from two viral photos on social media. Just because I don't trust anyone - I wouldn't put it past people leaving some items off the photo to make it look worse. Does that make me a terrible person ? People do like it when a celeb retweets them

I do doubt a private company is giving £5 of food and pocketing £25. I think the agreement would be to provide X amount of nutritionally balanced lunches.

The message has got confused somewhere if people were told to expect £30 worth of supermarket food as that's way more than 10 lunches would cost for the average child. The average family apparently spends £62 a week on food - https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/average-uk-household-cost-food .

 

[Sherlockholmes]

That looks really bad. Here it's £30 every 2 weeks into your bank. It was vouchers before but too many people had problems with them.

 

[Belulah]

Trust people on benefits to spend on what they need to buy. It’s gross that we deem those on low incomes unable to make choices around food.
Saying that I know there are some issues- I remember a woman screaming in my face when I was a teenager because I wouldn’t let her use milk vouchers on vodka but in my years working in low income education settings these people are few and far between.

 

[Droosie123]

This is why vouchers are far superior. The food pictured isn't enough to feed a child, it takes no account of a child's likes and dislikes or things like autism which may mean a child cannot tolerate certain textures of tastes,

 

[Cb1992]

We’ve been offered a ‘grab bag’ to collect from the school at lunch time every day.. greatful but abit unrealistic having to take 2 children and a baby everyday walk to the school for a packed lunch and walk back and only available 12-12.30

 

[emm]

Slightly off topic, but I am really feeling for the families that have been handed about £5 worth of food to feed their children rather then the food voucher. My heart breaks for the treatment you are receiving. It’s completely unacceptable. With lockdowns etc any family is at risk of needing to be on benefits from all the companies collapsing and job losses.
It’s an absolutely scandal that companies are profiting off the need to feed children.



i am editing to add I have just broke down and sobbed over this, i am so sorry for any of you that have this offering given to you. There but the grace of god go I.
The only thing I know to so right now is offer up as much as I can afford to local food banks, including treats for children.
if you are feeling invisible in this right now, just know i care deeply and I see you. Sending love.

I don't know how in any world they are claiming this is £30 of food, David Lammy posted a pic of the Finnish equvalent, the difference is actually shocking

 

[Droosie123]

A friend of mine who was really struggling before Christmas posted that her son's school put together a huge food parcel for her....it included a turkey, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Christmas oudding, chocolates and some fruit. She said she cried when she opened it and said what a lovely "pick me up" it was,

 

[Lisdiz]

We’ve been offered a ‘grab bag’ to collect from the school at lunch time every day.. greatful but abit unrealistic having to take 2 children and a baby everyday walk to the school for a packed lunch and walk back and only available 12-12.30

How is that covid secure? My schools was dropping food off weekly so I’ve been told

This is why vouchers are far superior. The food pictured isn't enough to feed a child, it takes no account of a child's likes and dislikes or things like autism which may mean a child cannot tolerate certain textures of tastes,

Exactly. I know of many autistic children with food sensory issues.

 

[Yel]

David Lammy posted a pic of the Finnish equvalent, the difference is actually shocking

I think that's a pretty poor show from him and I'd expect better. His tweet implies that all children in the UK get the substandard school meals when there's plenty of examples of great ones in the UK. Seems like lazy viral baiting to play politics.

Haven't the company itself admitted that this one fell short of their standards? So a bit unfair to judge all school lunches on one that might have been a mistake.

 

[Tublet83]

At mine they are putting in recipe cards with the food as well to give ideas of what you could do with it.

 

[Web30]

We’ve been offered a ‘grab bag’ to collect from the school at lunch time every day.. greatful but abit unrealistic having to take 2 children and a baby everyday walk to the school for a packed lunch and walk back and only available 12-12.30

I understand this is easier for school but its making people go out when we are meant to be cutting trips down. Although school dropping them off at everyones homes would be a nightmare as well

 

[emm]

I think that's a pretty poor show from him and I'd expect better. His tweet implies that all children in the UK get the substandard school meals when there's plenty of examples of great ones in the UK. Seems like lazy viral baiting to play politics.

Haven't the company itself admitted that this one fell short of their standards? So a bit unfair to judge all school lunches on one that might have been a mistake.

But didn't this happen earlier in lockdown too? I remember (When I used to read the Jack Munroe thread) she was suggesting a meal plan for the pitiful amount of food there was. I think if a company admits it "falls short" surely they should be charging less? The fact that our tax money is going on this tiny amount of food is so enfuriating, I fully support them giving food but it needs to be adequate

 

[Tublet83]

I’m in two minds over the vouchers, for the vast majority of people I think vouchers are right the thing. However there are a small percentage who abuse them (people were selling them for cigarettes, booze etc in cash) or use them to buy ready meals rather than cook and make better use of the value.