Parents say the size of school meals is already 'ridiculous' amid warnings they could get smaller.
We reported earlier how one of the UK's biggest food wholesalers said schools were exploring whether they can use cheaper ingredients or make portions smaller altogether due to the cost of living crisis.
With the price of baked goods currently up to 30 per cent more expensive due to rising wheat costs and the price of sunflower oil double what it was a year ago after Russian's invasion of Ukraine, Andrew Selley, chief executive for Bidfood, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that 'the situation is going to lead to some difficult decisions for school caterers'.
“Either they are going to serve smaller portions or use cheaper ingredients, which is not going to be good for children,” he said.
But parents have blasted the warning, saying many school meals are already too small and for some children, it's the only warm meal they get each day.
Commenting on the story on our Manchester Family Facebook page, mums and dads say school meals are already too small.
"School dinners portions are already a ridiculous small size, might as well let the kids starve," said Shalla Sajjad.
"They are already small portions and the price of this keeps going up each year," said Madiya Saleem.
Others agreed, including Emma Kilgour, who added: "They are already small portions and the price of this keeps going up each year."
And Emma Bryer said that even though her children are entitled to free school meals, she sends them with packed lunches as 'they would starve on current portion sizes anyway'.
Phil Oakley said he can do so much more with the £14 a week lunch money by making it himself.
"To be honest since Covid the food options have gone downhill. £14 a week for outsourced mass produced 'nutritious' meals," he said.
"My £14 a week gives them a far healthier and more varied choice now. The issue is hot meals, but Smash Pods are invaluable. Can put soups or tuna pasta etc in them. I buy sushi for them when they want it and they never complain.
"Wraps are easy and for chicken I simply boil a breast and they can have a chicken salad or wrap. Takes me 30 minutes in the morning at the most. All I do is get up earlier if it involves a bit of cooking."
Mum Leanne Harter said her daughter had actually commented on her lunch seeming smaller and Deb Lou said there should be a return to on-site cooking, rather than ordering it from outside.
"That's because they hardly make the food on site," she said. "Bring back the dinner ladies with the old recipes and actually cook at source instead of warming up."
The warning comes a day after Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, warned that households could witness an 'apocalyptic' shock from rampant food inflation.
According to analysts, the overall inflation could rise to 9.1 per cent for April. The ONS reported 5.9 per cent food inflation in March and this is expected to have accelerated last month.
Does your child have school lunches? Would they struggle if the size was reduced? How do you feel about the warning? Let us know your views in the comments here.
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