“Schools have had to remove hot lunches from their menus due to the rising cost of food, a report has found.
Caterers that provide meals to schools across the UK are also blaming the national living wage and tightening budgets for forcing them to provide less nutritious food.
According to the Times, charity The Soil Association found that schools were dropping fresh fruit, yoghurts and salmon from its menus and replacing these products with cheaper cuts of meat, biscuits and custard puddings.
In 2014, free school meals for all infants were introduced at a cost of millions, but although schools are now obliged to provide a lunchtime meal for pupils, this doesn’t have to be hot.
Lower quality food
Some are now offering cold “pick and mix” lunchbox options because it saves money on washing up and serving staff. The charity spoke to 20 catering companies, all of whom reported rising costs and negative effects on quality of food.
Caterers said they were under pressure from local authorities to cut costs as one said: “Pressure is mounting on expenditure and cold meals will be the result.” One caterer said the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables had increased by 20 per cent and eggs by 14 per cent and the report concluded that a no-deal Brexit could result in a 22 per cent average tariff on food imports. …”
Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/news/education/rising-food-costs-to-blame-for-fruit-and-hot-lunches-taken-off-school-menus/
East Devon Watch 