Altered portion sizes and cold options among changes to school meal scheme

Around 100,000 hot school meals are going uneaten every day, as calls grow for major reforms to the Government’s €300 million school meals programme.

The figure emerged from two Government commissioned reviews examining the quality of food provided under the scheme and the experiences of pupils, parents and teachers. The reviews found concerns around food quality, portion sizes, dietary requirements and food waste.

A Government-appointed nutritionist found that high fat, salt and sugar foods were being chosen over healthier options when available, while the same portion size is currently being served to children across different age groups.

The reviews have recommended standardised menu cycles, age-appropriate portion sizes and greater provision for children with special dietary requirements. Children could also be given the option of a hot or cold lunch on any given day, a measure which the review said could help reduce food waste.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education and Youth Darren O’Rourke TD said the changes must go beyond what he described as “tinkering around the edges”.

“Roughly 100,000 hot meals a day are going uneaten,” he said, adding that the findings represented “systemic failures in how this €300 million scheme is designed and delivered”.

He welcomed proposals for standardised menus, different portion sizes and hot and cold lunch options, but said they must be implemented quickly.

“Above all, we need to ask hard questions about the for-profit model that has been allowed to dominate this scheme,” Mr O’Rourke said.

He questioned how much of the €3.20 allocated per meal ultimately goes towards food, compared with intermediaries, overheads and profit margins.

The Sinn Féin TD is calling for a pilot of a not-for-profit, community-led model using local producers and shorter supply chains.

“We should be supporting local food economies, not funnelling public money into a model where quality is squeezed to protect margins,” he said.

The reviews found that around half a million hot school meals are delivered to primary schools every day, with the programme extended nationwide in September 2025 to more than 3,200 schools and over 550,000 children.

While waste remains a major concern, the research also found that the scheme is being positively received in many schools. Three-quarters of children surveyed said they ate all, most or some of their meal, while 63% of teachers and principals said the scheme had a generally positive impact.

However, concerns about food quality and waste have persisted since the programme was expanded. An Oireachtas committee previously recommended that new schools should have kitchens and dining areas, with meals prepared from scratch and eaten in a communal setting where possible.

Mr O’Rourke said the programme remained important but needed fundamental reform.

“Every euro spent must deliver a nutritious, appealing meal that children actually want to eat.”

“Tinkering at the edges will not do. We need fundamental reform on quality, waste and the for-profit business model.”