Nottinghamshire youngsters sent half a tomato and a potato in school lunch packs

Families eligible for free school meals are currently getting either food parcels or vouchers for £15 whilst schools are shut or only catering for vulnerable and key worker staff children during the third national lockdown.

A nationwide row broke out on social media yesterday (Tuesday) when one angry mum ‘Roadside Mum’ posted a picture on Twitter of the food she had received and the Chad has also received numerous Facebook comments on the topic.

Images were also sent in of some of the food sent to feed two children in a Brinsley family.

The family’s friend, Pleasley mum, Nicola Marshall, said: “It was absolutely shameful, my friend received a meal for a 14-year-old year Selston High School pupil of just one potato, a tin of beans, a tin of tuna, one cookie, two slices of bread, an apple and some tiny butter pats. He was missing some soup and instructions how to prepare the food. It was meant to last him a week.

"Her 13-year-old girl got one potato, a tin of beans, five cucumber sticks, an apple (which was bruised) a tin of tuna, two slices of bread – and bizarrely half a tomato! Who sends half a tomato? It wasn’t healthy food, it was damaged, it was all carbs and bread.

"What were they supposed to do with half a tomato and one potato, were they supposed to have half a potato one day and half a potato the next? With a £15 voucher you’d buy much better quality and more food.

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"It is the majority of people who use their vouchers properly to buy food and it is the minority who go out and buy cigarettes and booze.”

Headteacher at Selston High School Paul Halcro said: “Our catering firm who supplies the food parcels had some supply issues last week. We have listened to the feedback from parents and passed their concerns to the catering company Mellors.

"Following distribution of this week’s improved food parcels we have not received any negative feedback. We will continue to monitor the quality of the food to ensure our disadvantaged pupils are well nourished.”