Parents to be hit in pocket as cost of children’s school dinners rises

Consumer watchdog Which? also said the quality of school meals needed to improve to encourage more children to eat them and keep costs down after finding that the price is rising in two-thirds of schools across the country in the coming term.

This is leading to concern that it could start to undo the progress made in recent years towards improving children’s access to healthier meals.

The research found that parents would rather give their children packed lunches because they believe them to be cheaper and because their children do not like the food on offer at schools.

Meal prices have risen on average by around 2.5 per cent on last year but some local authorities have increased prices more.

School dinners managed by Poole Borough Council are the most expensive at an average of £2.50 this September.

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council has increased prices by 17 per cent to between £1.70 and £2 a meal while Lewisham Borough Council has risen by 14 per cent, so that school dinners will cost from £1.40 to £1.60.

The local authority with the biggest increase was Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council at 25 per cent, although its prices still remain the lowest in the country at £1.25.

It is estimated that in order to keep costs down, 55 per cent of students would need to take school meals. However, the research found that only 45 per cent of school pupils in England currently have them.

In some areas, including Wokingham District Council and West Sussex County Council, it is as low as 25 per cent.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: “At a time when many people tell Which? their number one concern is rising food prices, it will come as an unwelcome surprise to hard-pressed families to see that some local authorities are increasing their prices by as much as 17 per cent – well above inflation. School meals in most areas are still a relatively low cost and low hassle way to provide a decent lunch.”