No more free school meals for youngest pupils.

That's what I thought when my GS aged 2 and half trotted into the kitchen when I was minding him and asked "Brioche, granny?". And sure enough there were some in the bread bin. Long way from the 'doorsteps' and jam I remember.

DD I can tell you're retired. School,meals are much better than they were 10'years ago.

!at least Labour has costed its plans say Institute of Fiscal Studies

For those who don't like links, this article says school funding in the Tory Manifesto just gets flimsier.

So if the Tories are cutting the schools budget by 7%, what would the final total be if we included the lunch budget

I worked in schools from 1990 till 2014 and the standard of the lunches improved out of all recognition in the last three or four years. The breakfast club offering was, as I said earlier, value white bread, sugary cereal, butter substitute and cheap squash with artificial sweetener. Perhaps the breakfasts being offered under the new scheme will be subject to the same nutritional requirements that apply to school lunches nowadays - I certainly hope so.

With the frightening rise of food poverty the benefit budget slash and burn policies and the increase in food banks at least the free school lunches ensure one hot nutritious meal for the very youngest children! When my own children were small I can remember the cost of the packed lunch was quite a strain it is more expensive than providing a single hot meal for your family at home

That French chef was on radio this morning saying why he thought the meals were so important.

Anya I worked on and off as a supply teacher in dozens of schools until about four years ago, so I had the opportunity to sample various offerings. The standard of lunches varied considerably, but it still depended on pupil choice.

I still work with pupils on a daily basis. One of the topics in the GCSE languages specification is "Healthy eating", so I regularly ask pupils what they eat for lunch at school. Most still report they eat pasta and a muffin (or something similar).

Why is it so important that the meal is hot? A cold meal is equally nutritious.

Both the Tory and Labour manifestos are dishonest.

Most still eat pasta and a muffin?????

Really? Unbelievable ?

And what do you mean by ' GCSE languages' ? Do you mean GCSE English Language?

PS. My son left school last year and he never had a hot meal in school. When I asked him what he'd eaten, he would always reply that he'd eaten a sandwich.

My information is not so out-of-date as you think Anya.

Or French?

I'm not interested in what your son chose to eat for lunch at secondary school DD

I'm thinking that your role as supply teacher is interesting however!

I'm not interested in your twisted opinions Anya.

Here's some evidence:

www.ifs.org.uk/publications/9202

www.ifs.org.uk/publications/8714

I find evidence more compelling that your rather limited outlook.

PS. When teachers talk about "language*s*" they mean foreign languages. I thought you were an expert!

I have seen school lunch boxes, packed by young secondary school children themselves, which contained only chocolate biscuits.

It's interesting that Mumsnet posters are overwhelmingly against universal free lunches.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2932454-Tories-going-to-axe-free-school-meals

The consensus, even among Labour supporters, seems to be that they're an inefficient use of resources.

When I worked in a school, many children arrived without having eaten breakfast,quite a few more had been given money to buy something on the way to school,needless to say they purchased what they wanted which in many cases was crisp & coke, (don't know how they could face that so early in the day?)

My DGC always complain about the quality of school meals at their primary and so more often than not they take a good quality packed lunch. If you get in first ( the youngest) you get a bit of a choice, second sitting still a bit of food left but not much of a choice and when the older children eventually get in there is nothing left. Eldest DGD has often gone with nothing except a dried up "ham" sandwich without the ham ( her words) and an apple . Not good enough.

My DGC' packed lunches are a delight. They are not sweetly/chocolate biscuit fans but love carrot sticks and fruit. Eldest DGD has raisins as her treat. They love helping to construct make them and never ask for rubbish. One thing they insist on though is a fancy serviette ( of which I have a huge choice) Apparently they show them off

Well if my wish to keep FSM for Key Stage 1 is 'twisted' in your opinion so be it. I have followed your increasingly hostile posts with interest DD and wondered at your opposition to such a simple measure.

Very few teachers I worked with over a long and FT career would have expressed themselves so vehemently on matters relating t children's welfare. I note you were a supply teacher

Isn't it interesting that food becomes such a divisive subject? Of course this is exactly the situation in schools where lunch and what children eat is a cause of conflict and concern. Packed lunches vary tremendously, so do school lunches. Some children have very strange and restricted eating habits. Some parents pander to these some don't. The provision of a free school meal at least provides a well balanced meal to be eaten at a table with other children. For many children this is a new experience and this alone is a reason for doing it. Add to this the presentation of new foods and a balanced diet, eaten with others in a relaxed atmosphere and the basis of healthy eating habits can be established. Just as important as any other part of a child's education

One of the areas that the FSM was tried out was Durham.
Over two years it produced a difference of two months attainment on average, which was significant among those looking at the results.
So I am not sure how anyone can say it is not a good idea, unless it is in terms of costs.
Tories wouldn't like spending money in Labour areas.

trisher i dont know when you were last in a lunchhall but a relaxed atmosphere it the last thing they are. The worst thing is the "prison trays" the children eat off of, segmented plastic trays with both courses piled on it and even worse plastic cups to drink from, what on earth happened to plates and glasses ?

The trial which you quoted is from 2012 and has been discredited. See the other links I've posted.