Mum Hits Out At 'Unacceptable' School Meal After Child Was Served Half A 'Raw' Jacket Potato
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Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News
A mum has pleaded for help from the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jamie Oliver after she slammed a child's school meal as "unacceptable".
Chloe Davis, from Bristol, took to Twitter to share an image of the lunch - which featured half a "hard" jacket potato, topped with what looks like a spoonful of beans, a few strands of lettuce and a solitary slice of cucumber and pepper.
"How can this be deemed acceptable for a school meal?" She wrote.
"Not only is it not enough but it's also not cooked properly (hard potato!) - this is the only hot meal for most of the children receiving this!
"MarcusRashford, jamieoliver are you able to help? #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY."
Manchester United star Marcus replied asking Chloe for more information, writing: "Where was this served Chloe?
"Chloe can you dm me info on where this was served and how this pic came about? Thank you."
Meanwhile, the Department for Education Twitter account said they were investigating, adding that the meal "does not meet our school food standards".
In a reply to her original tweet, Chloe wrote: "It costs the families £2.50/day to get a school meal. Even if this was double the size and with more veg it wouldn't cost more than £1!
"Totally shocked and sad for these children. MarcusRashford, jamieoliver #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY."
And other social media users were horrified, with one writing: "That seriously can't be a lunch for a kid."
While another added: "Even dogs would turn their nose up at that."
And one said: "That's disgusting. The children that have to suffer with this."
"That is atrocious. The potato is green ffs, pretty sure that's not good for you," tweeted another.
Meanwhile, one parent added: "My daughter (7) was given a chicken wrap this week at school, just a small pitta bread with a chicken chunk in. She came home starving."
School food contracts are put in place by individual schools, multi-academy trusts and local authorities with a range of catering companies, claimed the Department for Education, who said they do not oversee nor offer a central contract to any food supplier.
A Department for Education spokesperson added: "With pupils and students returning to face-face-education, normal school meal provision has resumed, with caterers expected to provide healthy, nutritious meals to pupils.
"All food provided in schools must comply with the School Food Standards. We know caterers are working hard with schools to provide nutritious, balanced lunches for their pupils, but where this isn't happening, we've set out a clear process for parents to raise concerns so appropriate action can be taken, by contacting their schools in the first instance or calling the Department's helpline."