Parents blast new school dinners and want to bring back nuggets, pizza and chips

Middlesbrough Council is facing a backlash as parents complain about the adventurous options, lack of choices and small portion sizes. The new menu includes stir fry, katsu curry and Quorn korma – with a focus on more meat-free options and healthier alternatives.

A post about the new school meals on Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston’s Facebook page has garnered more than 350 comments at the time of writing. The majority of them criticising the new menus, though it does also have more than 100 likes.

Mother of two Becky Eason, 36, said her eight-year-old daughter is repeatedly returning home and asking for packed lunches to be made instead of school dinners. However, as the cost of living crisis continues, Becky doesn’t want to take on the extra costs.

“At first, I thought the kids were just being a bit fussy and a bit picky. My daughter has been coming home and asking to go on packed lunches all the time,” she said.

The Marton Manor mum, who has complained to the council, went on to add: “Some of the meals on the menu itself didn’t feel very child friendly in my opinion. It’s not really a choice to give them either Quorn chicken curry or a vegetable lasagna in one day. I don’t think there is much of an option there for them.”

The council has revamped the menus to increase fruit and vegetables, reduce sugary items and introduce vegan options. The menus will change every four weeks with the seasons. There are two hot options each day or children can visit the pasta bar, the salad bar or have jacket potato with filling or a sandwich, sub-roll or wrap, among other options.

Around one in 10 children are obese when they start school in Middlesbrough, and that figure shoots up to one in five once they are in Year 6. The town has a larger proportion of severely obese, obese, and overweight children than the North East and England average.

Becky is not against providing alternative options but is worried that her daughter is not eating enough throughout the day, especially as she drops her off at 7:50am and doesn’t pick her up until after 5pm.

She added: “She was going all day with a biscuit or a small sausage roll, that’s a long time for her not to be eating. The kids are coming out saying they can’t concentrate on the work because they are going hungry. Winter is coming and they need a nice wholesome meal.”

Like many parents, Becky is already under a significant amount of stress without needing more to worry about. She added: “At the minute we have so many worries as parents. We are going out to work so we are paying for childcare options.

“Then, worrying about when my daughter is at school is she having anything to eat. We are worrying about fuel prices. We are worrying about cost of living with prices of food.

“It’s not a nice feeling to be sat at work thinking what is she having to eat today. Then coming home to her being upset and wanting feeding straight away. It’s just another stress on your mind you don’t need.”

Fellow mum Kelly Doolan is also frustrated at the new school menus. She said her five-year-old daughter doesn’t like butter so struggles to eat from the cold options, therefore will get something from the hot side and not eat it.

Kelly said: “My two older girls (aged five and 10) are constantly coming home hungry because they’ve either not had enough or haven’t liked the food that’s on offer. The portions aren’t big enough.

“They both constantly ask for packed lunches but with four kids I honestly can’t afford to do so as they all like different things. Times are hard as it is. It’s the kids that are suffering they need to bring back the foods kids love like nuggets, pizza, and chips. They can still add the veg and salad and fruit.”

Annalee Dee said her son, who has autism has a limited diet but doesn’t feel like her son is being helped at all with this menu. She added: “All the mams are complaining they’re all going hungry, some have been forced to give packed lunches and that ain’t exactly a healthy option, a cooked meal is much more filling for them.”

However, some commenters on the mayor’s post were in favour of the changes. One man said it was much better than in his day, while another questioned if parents would prefer cheap, nasty, and unhealthy food in abundance or smaller portions that would not be setting youngsters up for obesity.

Last week, Heather Adams, head teacher at Pallister Park Primary School, said the meals were healthy, tasty, and nutritious and claimed the catering staff were working hard and doing a great job.

Coun Barrie Cooper, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for environment, previously said: “We are sure these new revamped menus will be popular with both children and their parents.

“They have been designed to improve the options available to our little learners and to make sure they are getting plenty of fruit and vegetables and a little less sugar, while also making sure all their favourites remain.”

Middlesbrough Council has been contacted for comment.