It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging.

“This Government slashed school lunch funding and handed the job to a global corporation instead of supporting local suppliers—now kids are stuck with worse meals,” Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.

“Their choice to prioritise cuts over proper nutrition for our kids is a disgrace.”

Parents and teachers have been sharing stories of inferior meals that kids could not eat, meals arriving hours after they were needed, and mislabelled packaging.

A Cabinet Paper in March 2024 informed the Government that changes to the school lunch programme would risk achievement, attendance, nutrition, and wellbeing of children, as well as having wider impacts on reducing child poverty. They made these changes anyway.

“Sadly, this was entirely predictable. Instead of investing in children’s nutrition and supporting local food suppliers, this government chose cost-cutting ahead of quality,” Jan Tinetti said.

“Proper nutrition is essential for kids to focus and learn. Rather than showing leadership and prioritising our kids’ wellbeing, Christopher Luxon followed David Seymour’s reckless advice and chose cuts over quality. As an educator, I have heard similar horror stories from my former colleagues, and I am deeply concerned that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Children should not have to suffer because of the Government’s poor choices,” Jan Tinetti said.

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