The free school lunch provided at one North Island school had parents wondering what it was. Photo / Supplied
A mother has shared a photo of her daughter's supplied school lunch saying it was so disgusting she couldn't figure out what it was.
The photo, sent to the Herald, appears to be a bread roll with onion, corn, and other fillings wrapped in tinfoil.
"She brought it home and I thought 'if that is what they are getting at school I'm not surprised they are getting thrown out'," said the woman, who didn't want to be named.
"I opened it up and I tried to pull it apart to figure out what it was.
''I couldn't even get the bun apart. I'm still not sure if it was a sandwich or a burger. It was really disgusting."
The lunch was served at school two weeks ago.
"My daughter ended up with her friend's lunch as well because she wouldn't eat it either.
"It was pretty disgusting so I took a photo and threw it out."
The teenage girl is at a central North Island school where lunches, fruit and milk are supplied.
The mother contacted the school and the office of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and emailed the photo to them.
"I heard back from Jacinda's people straight away and they said it wasn't acceptable and they would look into it."
The woman was also told to email the Ministry of Education which she did.
"I got an email back from them and even they couldn't figure out what it was. I haven't heard anything back since."
The email from the ministry read: "We have scaled up the monitoring of the supplier to your daughter's school as a result of your feedback, and will be working with the supplier to understand what quality control processes they currently have in place, and what they need to implement to improve their provision.
"If we do not see adequate improvement in the lunch quality this term we will look to a formal improvement process as a next step."
Yesterday the Herald revealed the staggering amount of food thrown out each day because of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme.
Individual suppliers are contracted by schools that are part of the programme.
In July 2020, the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund (CRRF) was tapped for $216 million, to expand the school lunch programme from a pilot scheme.
In 2021, a further $515.8m was allocated from CRRF to extend the provision of free school lunches until the end of 2023.
One Northland parent said lunches were hit and miss with children describing lunches as 'gross, stale, soggy, dry and tasting yuck'.
This was no surprise to the central North Island mum who said she had started packing lunch for her daughter again because the meals were so bad.
"I just give her a sandwich, some home baking and some chips or crackers because they get fruit at school.
"At least I know she will eat it rather than go hungry because of the lunches in schools."
According to the Ministry of Education website the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches funds a million lunches each week.
In the two years to August 2022 more than 63 million lunches have been delivered in 950 schools and kura to over 220,000 learners.
Some schools have opted out of the programme and some supply their own lunches prepared on site.
For many, the programme has been a huge success - depending on the contracted supplier.
Principals at those schools said pupils are more focussed, settled and enjoy bonding over the same lunch.
Leftover lunches were shared with the immediate community and whanau of pupils.
Rachel King who owns lunch provider, Kainui Brunch Shack, said success was about providing a choice and variety and listening to what the children wanted.
Parents from the two schools she provides lunches to can go online the night before and choose what lunches they wanted.
The food boxes arrived the next day with food ranging from wraps, sandwiches, a hot meal, and always a muffin or baking, fresh fruit, and either milk or water.
"The kids can choose what they want and if there is something they don't like there are other options," King said.
King said the lunches are tasty and nutritious and she sources much of her produce from local growers, a marae, and suppliers at the Mngere Markets.
Read the rest here:
- Jacinda Ardern fury as NZ in lockdown after ONE Covid case: 'Never-ending nightmare' - Daily Express - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Should we be wearing masks while exercising? Jacinda Ardern, Ashley Bloomfield respond to confusion - Newshub - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Lockdowns or Vaccines? 3 Pacific Nations Try Diverging Paths - VOA Asia - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Fall of Afghanistan: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says NZ unlikely to rescue 'everyone we want to' - New Zealand Herald - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- COVID-19: Jacinda Ardern defends pace locations of interest are released to public after Wellington Mayor criticism - Newshub - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Jacinda Ardern asks the Taliban to be 'nice' to women - The Spectator Australia - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Graham Adams: Is Jacinda Ardern the Messiah? Or just a very crafty politician? - New Zealand Herald - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Will Jacinda Ardern Suffer Churchills Fate Once The (Covid) War Is Over? - Forbes - August 24th, 2021 [August 24th, 2021]
- Covid-19: 'Prepare for the inevitability of community transmission' - Stuff.co.nz - October 9th, 2021 [October 9th, 2021]
- New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern admits nation can't get rid of coronavirus | TheHill - The Hill - October 9th, 2021 [October 9th, 2021]
- Why Jacinda Ardern giving up on eliminating COVID-19 is a political gamble for the popular PM - ABC News - October 9th, 2021 [October 9th, 2021]
- New Zealand increases climate aid ahead of UN summit - The Indian Express - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Covid 19: No change likely for Auckland, Waikato but alert levels now on borrowed time - Stuff.co.nz - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Anniversary of a landslide: new research reveals what really swung New Zealand's 2020 'COVID election' - The Conversation AU - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Scathing feedback from experts on Jacinda Ardern's traffic light system to replace alert levels - New Zealand Herald - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Why Jacinda Arderns clumsy leadership response to Delta could still be the right approach - The Conversation AU - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Everyday activities won't be available to the unvaccinated - Jacinda Ardern - RNZ - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- When will Aucklanders turn on Jacinda Ardern? - MacroBusiness - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Time for the National Party to embrace kindness - Stuff.co.nz - November 29th, 2021 [November 29th, 2021]
- Leadership in the time of Covid is a thankless job, in politics and in sport - Stuff.co.nz - November 29th, 2021 [November 29th, 2021]
- New Zealand PM Ardern backs Five Eyes, open to other alliances - Reuters - November 29th, 2021 [November 29th, 2021]
- PM Jacinda Ardern: 'Throughout this pandemic one of the hardest things to do has been to plan' - RNZ - November 29th, 2021 [November 29th, 2021]
- Covid 19 Delta outbreak: PM Jacinda Ardern on Covid, visit to Auckland, and National Party turmoil - New Zealand Herald - November 29th, 2021 [November 29th, 2021]
- COVID-19: No reason to cancel Christmas over Omicron variant - Jacinda Ardern - Newshub - November 29th, 2021 [November 29th, 2021]
- It's Dangerous to Allow Politicians and Officials to Decide What Constitutes 'Truth' - Reason - January 11th, 2022 [January 11th, 2022]
- Government needs to work with businesses - Otago Daily Times - January 11th, 2022 [January 11th, 2022]
- New Zealands successful Covid policies hid inequality the government cant ignore it this year - The Guardian - January 11th, 2022 [January 11th, 2022]
- Nearly halfway through the term, parties start to stake out territory - Stuff - April 14th, 2022 [April 14th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern and Christopher Luxon's letters to each other revealed - New Zealand Herald - April 14th, 2022 [April 14th, 2022]
- The Front Page: Why neither Louisa Wall nor Jacinda Ardern look good in departure drama - New Zealand Herald - April 14th, 2022 [April 14th, 2022]
- Parliament protest: Jacinda Ardern came into contact with Covid-infected cops while thanking them - New Zealand Herald - April 14th, 2022 [April 14th, 2022]
- On budget day, will Labour be bold enough to seize back the cost-of-living narrative? - The Spinoff - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- Rugs, perfume, couture: What PM and other MPs declared - New Zealand Herald - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 9392 new Covid cases and 9 deaths, 7 in ICU - New Zealand Herald - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- Two-tier visa system a 'kick in the guts' - RNZ - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- PM Jacinda Ardern says soft on crime claims 'just wrong' as former detective hails NZ Police's international reputation - Newshub - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- The Magnificent Seven: The Knight and Dames Jacinda Ardern didn't want to mess with - New Zealand Herald - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- Taranaki man charged with threatening to kill Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand Herald - May 12th, 2022 [May 12th, 2022]
- Ardern horrified as New Zealand faces record housing crash - MacroBusiness - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- 7 Women To Watch At The UN General Assembly - Forbes - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- She has the power! - The Tribune India - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- Government outlines new laws to crackdown on hidden criminal wealth - Stuff - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- NZ government's Working with Survivors continues cover-up of Pike River mine disaster - WSWS - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- PM Jacinda Ardern won't confirm whether Government planning to scrap mask mandates, says they're under review - Newshub - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand will continue to cooperate with more assertive China ... - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern to travel to New York for UN meeting later this month - New Zealand Herald - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern - Prime Minister of New Zealand - NZ Labour Party - September 8th, 2022 [September 8th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern makes final appearance as New Zealand leader - Los ... - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern | Biography, Facts, & Partner | Britannica - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern speech: New Zealand's former prime minister delivers emotional final speech to Parliament: "You can be a mother ... you can lead,... - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will donate clothing to Te Papa - New Zealand Herald - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern appointed trustee of Prince William's Earthshot Prize - BBC - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern joins The Earthshot Prize as a Trustee - Earthshot Prize - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern says goodbye to parliament: how her politics of kindness fell on unkind times - The Conversation - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern takes on a new role after leaving politics this week - NPR - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Harry, Meghan called toxic as Jacinda Ardern joins Prince William's project - Hindustan Times - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]