A Gisborne Girls' High School lunch - chicken teriyaki on rice or gluten-free pasta and plant-based meat with tomato sauce for those with dietary requirements. Photo: Zita Campell
Gisborne students are turning down their Government-supplied free lunches out of frustration at a lack of variety in the meals.
Principals say uneaten lunches are piling up with "more leftovers than ever before".
They are also raising concerns about the nutritional value and portion sizes of the ready-made meals.
Adding to the frustration, staff are spending valuable time dealing with excessive plastic packaging.
Concerns over quality and nutrition
Gisborne Girls' High School principal Jan Kumar said serving sizes were small and the meals lacked variety.
"Our lunches arrive on time and they are hot, but the quality of what is offered is not great," she said.
Last week, students were served the same meal several days in a row.
"The students are not impressed," Kumar said.
"I'm not sure the food meets recommended nutritional guidelines - certainly not like it did previously."
Te Kura o Te Muriwai principal Maiangi Mackey-Gilroy agreed, and said the food appeared old.
When asked if her school had received repetitive meals, she said lunches in the second week of term were mixed, with Monday and Tuesday meals rotated for the rest of the week.
"[There are] more leftovers than ever before," she said.
The School Lunch Collective, the partnership responsible for the meals, had not responded to the feedback in time for publication.
Ministry defends meal standards
Hester Goodwin, the Ministry of Education's acting leader of operations and integration, said the focus was on ensuring all students received a meal every school day.
Goodwin said the portion sizes had not changed under the new programme, apart from a slight increase for Years 0-3.
The nutrition standards were developed in consultation with the Ministry of Health, schools and nutrition experts.
Ka Ora, Ka Ako School school lunch size requirements. Source / Ministry of Education. Photo: NZ Herald / LDR
"Every meal must meet minimum weight and vegetable requirements," she said.
"Often, vegetables are incorporated in a way that encourages kids to eat their entire meal without picking out the healthy bits.
"The School Lunch Collective has reworked and tested recipes extensively with students."
Plastic packaging
Kumar said Gisborne Girls' High staff were increasingly concerned about food waste as more students refused meals.
The school reduced its order from 750 to 500 lunches, yet still had 100 to 200 leftovers daily.
"When we had mince three days in a row, there was even more," she said.
An example of single use waste generated through the school lunches programme that principal of Gisborne Girls' High School Jan Kumar says is taking up extra staff time. Photo: Zita Campell
Managing the surplus was difficult, as the meals arrived in aluminium trays that had already been reheated before delivery.
"We're not sure reheating them again would be safe."
While the aluminium trays were collected in black rubbish bags for disposal, single-use plastic packaging remained a problem, adding to staff workload.
The delivery process was also more time-consuming compared to their previous provider, Puku Ora, which shut down on Friday after losing a key contract under the Government's new programme, Kumar said.
"Puku Ora's contract meant that they did not have anything that was not recyclable or compostable," she said.
Te Kura ō Manutuke principal Ryan Tapsell said the school was struggling to adjust to the new lunch delivery system.
Previously, Puku Ora supplied the exact number of meals needed per classroom, delivering them in bins ready for distribution.
"The meals ... now are just in loads of 45, which creates another job for someone we do not have," he said.
"[Puku Ora] saved us a whole lot of hassle."
Tapsell said the eatery also managed waste collection, with teachers only needing to place leftovers into designated boxes for pick up.
In response to concerns about plastic waste, Goodwin said the ministry's sustainability requirements had not changed under the new model and all meal providers remained contractually obligated to follow them.
"For example, providers must continue using reusable, recyclable or certified compostable materials wherever possible and minimise non-recyclable packaging and single-use items," she said.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whatatutu principal Parehuia Eparaima said her students generally ate their lunches with minimal waste.
"I don't think there have been many days we have had leftovers. They're good eaters. They appreciate a different meal," she said.
Schools still grateful for free meals
Despite the issues, Tapsell acknowledged the benefit of the programme for families struggling to provide food.
"We have some families that struggle to provide that kai to their tamariki so we do appreciate that the food is available."
Principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Hawaiki Hou Russell Wilson said, "Our kura is grateful that we get this opportunity to have kai supplied as it is a bonus to learners."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
