PARENTS have been warned about the state of their kids’ school meals amid the cost of living crisis.
It’s feared childrens’ diets will become less healthy as a result of items being cut from the menu.
Beef, chicken and some fruits and vegetables are deemed too expensive for companies to serve up.
Laca, the school food caterers’ association, made some concerning findings when surveying 160 catering companies in England and Wales which cover more than one million pupils.
The survey, in May, revealed a combination of rising food costs, supply chain issues and inadequate funding was putting healthy meals at risk.
This includes kids who are on free school meals, which campaigners say could be their only hot meal of the day.
Some 78 per cent of caterers have had to change their menus or reduce menu options as a result of supply chain issues, Laca revealed on Monday.
Over one third (34 per cent) of caterers are considering using more processed food, with 12 per cent already doing so.
Some 30 per cent are experiencing shortages of fresh meat, including chicken, lamb and beef.
And so almost 30 per cent of caterers are considering switching from British meat to meat from abroad, with 20 per cent already doing so.
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Grocery basics such as pasta, oil, frozen vegetables and fish were among the worst affected.
Jacquie Blake, National Chair of LACA, said: “These findings should act as an urgent wake-up call.
“Many school caterers are at breaking point.
“Without adequate funding for school meals the most vulnerable children will miss out on what in some cases is their only hot meal of the day.
“Caterers strive to provide hot and nutritious school meals, but this is becoming increasingly difficult and is likely to only get worse in the coming months.
“With families facing a cost of living crisis at home, it is even more urgent than ever that all children receive a healthy school lunch.
“We are calling on the government to act now to ensure that schools are able to continue feeding children.”
Some 55 per cent of caterers said that if things do not improve, school food quality will deteriorate.
It comes after parents at a school in Darlington said they are having to drop food off to the school because their kids are being served “disgusting” meals.
In response to the survey, children and families minister Will Quince said the Government has “really clear school food standards, which are all about healthy, nutritious meals for children”.
He said he recognises schools are “not immune” to the cost-of-living crisis, but that they must manage their own budgets.
He said inflation is why the Universal Infant Free School Meal funding rate uplift was extended last month.
The Government raised the rate by 7p per pupil, backdated to April 1, with all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 getting £2.41 per meal rather than £2.34.
Campaigners said the rise falls far short of inflation.