Free lunch in schools: Provider apologises for cold meals served up two hours late

A Far North primary school blames "teething issues" with its free lunches provider after the meals arrived two hours late - and stone cold.

A concerned Kaitaia Primary parents approached the Herald, unimpressed at what was belatedly dished up.

"Our kids went without lunches today, they arrived at 2.35pm and this is what was in them," the parent told the Herald.

A lunch of spaghetti and cheese served to kids at Kaitaia Primary School arrived late on Wednesday, only getting there at 2.35pm. Photo / Supplied

The supplied photo shows a small portion of spaghetti in tomato sauce topped with shavings of cheese.

Bell Produce Ltd, which is run by local iwi Te Rarawa, provides 1500 lunches to four schools in the Far North each day, including Kaitaia Primary and Kaitaia College.

Kaitaia Primary principal Brendon Morrissey called Wednesday's late lunch a "hiccup".

"There wasn't much to them [the lunches] as many would hope," Morrissey told the Herald.

However since the programme started at the school on the first day of term 2, Morrissey said, it has been "superb".

Despite the teething issues, Kaitaia Primary school principal Brendon Morrissey says everyone is "grateful" for the free school lunches. Photo / File

"Although there was disappointment about yesterday's lunches, the other days have been awesome.

"Our kids are blimmin' lucky to get those lunches," Morrissey said.

Hi everyone, regarding feedback recieved on our cooked meals. We are sorry cooked kai to schools were delivered late to...

Posted by Bells Produce Ltd on Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Bells Produce Ltd acknowledged on Facebook the feedback they received on cooked meals and apologised.

"We are sorry cooked kai to schools was delivered late to certain schools across the days."

Retail manager Dion Harrison said they underestimated many things that were necessary to ensure the cooked lunches were of the quality they needed to be.

"We have learned a lot regarding the hot lunches and we will ensure our standards of food quality and timely delivery are better managed."

To make sure the issue doesn't happen again, the company has decided to split hot lunch days over two days. On Wednesdays, Kaitaia College will receive their hot meal and the other three schools will receive their hot meals on Thursdays.

Morrisey welcomed the change, calling it a "smart decision".

"Some of the complaints were about portion sizes and the type of food. While we are working to the Ka Ora Ka Oka guidelines we promise to review the menus and see what we can add or change," the lunch provider said on its Facebook page.

"Every day we are constantly reviewing menus, portion quantities and how we can improve," Harrison said.

The Ka Ora, Ka Ako/Healthy School Lunches Programme includes primary, intermediate and high schools and is not decile-related.

Nearly 15,000 students across the region will have a free healthy school lunches this term, courtesy of the programme.

At first Morrissey was concerned about how students would react to trying new foods, but he told the Herald many of the student's plates were returned empty and many kids were coming back for seconds.