7. The impact of delegation on meals
offering popular, but not necessarily nutritionally well-balanced meals, or by raising
prices. These responses have had serious implications for nutritional standards and also
for the provision of free school meals. If the value of the free school meal remained
unchanged while prices rose in the cafeteria, entitled pupils were unable to buy a meal
without supplementing their free school meal allowance with additional cash.
7.53 Schools spoke of a need to ‘sell’ the Healthy Meal concept to pupils and parents, but
not all schools offered pupils or parents the opportunity to give their views about the
meals offered. At schools that did consult with its customers, pupils appreciated having
a say in what was provided, particularly when their suggestions were followed up with
changes to menus or dining conditions.
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