Tell me this isn’t a socialist government operation: parents are finger-wagged that they can’t be trusted to provide healthy lunches for their own kids. So, in the true spirit of socialism, kids’ lunches are collectivised. Double-plus good, eh, comrade?
Well, no: double-plus barf.
The collectivised canteen lunches are so inedible that kids would rather go hungry. In frustration, parents start packing lunch again.
A peanut butter sandwich, a piece of fruit and a packet of corn chips is the kind of simple school lunch option Ollie Calder would like to eat each day.
No doubt, according to the nosy-parkers in education bureaucracy, those aren’t “healthy options”. Unlike the state-sanctioned rations.
Instead, he and his classmates are being served up things like reheated kumara mash or meatball burgers as part of the Government’s Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy Lunches in School programme.
The Ministry of Education initiative started in 2020 and aims to reduce food insecurity by providing access to a nutritious daily lunch.
That’s what they promised. But then, the Ardern government promises a lot. What they deliver is something else entirely.
While the concept might sound great, Ollie’s mum Heather said the food supplied was not something even she would eat.
“We tried the school lunches, but nine times out of 10 Ollie didn’t like it, so we just gave up,” Heather said.
“We had to start sending his packed lunch again which I know a lot of other parents are doing now too.”
It will surprise no one that this busy-bodying government programme leads to little but hunger and massive waste.
But it’s not “waste” if you recycle it.
According to the Ministry of Education acting hautu (leader) operations and integration Helen Hurst, untouched lunches were defined as ‘surplus’, with partially eaten lunches considered food waste.
Enjoy your week-old, unidentifiable processed “meat”, young comrades!
Ollie’s indifference towards the school lunches is not unique, with large amounts of food waste allegedly being thrown out each day across the region.
Another Far North parent, who did not wish to be named, said she too had concerns.
The mother of two (9 and 14) said her children used to take (mostly) nutritious food packed in reusable lunchboxes.
Such counter-revolutionary tendencies cannot be tolerated in the glorious Peoples’ Republic of Aoteazuela.
She claimed at one of her children’s schools, no one ensured children were eating lunch and discouraged them from bringing lunch from home.
This child, the mother said, was generally not eating lunch at all now and would come home ravenous.
Socialism will work this time!
Meanwhile, education bureaucracy cadres need to keep a sharp look-out for distressing counter-revolutionary class saboteurs like this one.
Intermediate student, Naki, said […] “Most of my friends bring lunch to school now and have started doing this after the first term of having lunches in school,” he said […]
“What we’d really like is a sandwich, fruit, chips, shapes and or home baking or something warm during winter that has flavour and is filling.”
NZ Herald
What he really needs is some rigorous re-education.
Otherwise, kids and their parents might start to think they can do things for themselves, better than the state can.
Then where will the revolution be?
Just be thankful they’re not serving you bugs on kale.
