Concern continues to gather momentum about the Irish National Free School Meals programme which was welcomed with enthusiasm at first. After all, what’s not to like about this progressive initiative, universal hot school meals for our Primary School children. Free for all, no stigma, no worries about school lunches.
Initially, the children were super excited, but for many enthusiasm soon waned and from my research, a growing number no longer enjoy or eat the food. Many meals come home, half-eaten or untouched in school satchels. Teachers and parents are understandably concerned about the quality, the food waste and the single-use packaging, much of which is not recyclable.
But my primary concern, of which there are many, is the nutritional quality of
the food. Much is ultra-processed, which includes flavourings, artificial colourings, stabilisers….
How much more research do we need to convince us of the negative impacts of these additives and processing aids on our health?
I have just returned from a few weeks in India, where government schools have had a free, Midday Meal programme since 1995.
I visited several schools in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where local women were cooking a midday meal of dahl and rice and chapatis from scratch for the children which they happily shared with me. One was a small village school, others had over 200 pupils. An inexpensive, but deeply nourishing meal, the children loved it and were visibly healthy with beautiful skin and teeth.
Once again at the Ahilya Fort School in Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh, several hundred children, eagerly tucked
into a simple meal of ancestral food which their teachers
also shared, a chickpea dahl with nutrient dense drumstick
greens and freshly cooked flatbread.
The children sit cross-legged on mats on the ground. They also bring in a little tiffin-box and a water bottle, no fizz or pop. I noticed one lunch-box with crispy, deep-fried okra, none had UPS/ultra-processed food.
Not only were the children well fed, but the ingredients were sourced from local farmers with full traceability, the money goes back directly into the surrounding community and also creates local employment.
Back here in Ireland, I spoke to many parents and teachers. All of whom were positive initially but are now deeply concerned about many aspects of the program. However, it has to be said that one parent whose children are attending St Luke’s School in Glanmire, Cork City said she found it brilliant and that her children loved the food. Another parent whose children attend a different school, pulled no punches and her response was ‘it’s s***e, a disgrace’.
It is obvious that there is considerable variation between schools depending on the food provider and the facilities.
My greatest concern of many, is the nutritional value of the food. It’s absolutely vital that we feed our children wholesome, good healthy food, not UPF.
Study after study has shown that the quality of the food impacts positively or negatively on behaviour, attendance, academic achievement and overall health.
The scheme is estimated to cost in the region of €300 million when rolled out across the country. Surely this is not the best use of the tax-payers money.
Many feel that the model urgently needs to be reevaluated and go back to the drawing board. Is €3.20 per child a realistic amount to provide real health giving food. We must not confuse feeding with nourishing…
I do not underestimate the challenge for the Department of Social Protection, but change is undoubtedly necessary.
At present we are missing many opportunities, not just to nourish but to further educate our children but to give good example.
Use the budget to commission and source chemical-free produce from local farmers, poultry producers, and artisans at a fair price and provide complete traceability of ingredients.
Practice what we preach about recycling and single use plastic.
Provide real food, not USP/ultra-processed food and artificial additives which many of the meals seem to include thus far.
Educate our children on where our food comes from, seasonal food, the importance of sourcing….
Emphasise that food should be our medicine and not create potential health and obesity problems.
At present 1 in 5 children here in Ireland are overweight or obese. Diabetes, initially a disease of older-people, is now manifesting in young children.
We’re sleepwalking into a health crisis of monumental proportions. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, look at Alice Waters Edible Schoolyard Project in Berkeley, California and the MAD model in Copenhagen where over 70% of food served in schools, hospitals and prisons must be organically produced. The initiative has already delivered remarkable outcomes and benefited the public purse.
Japan’s national school lunch program, where the government prioritises children’s health, is another example of good practice.
After all, the wealth of a nation depends on the health of the nation and the health of the nation depends to a great extent on the food we eat.
Everyone’s Favourite Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a bit like apple crumble, simple fare but everyone loves it, plus you can add lots of tasty bits to change it up. Macaroni cheese was
and still is one of my children’s favourite supper dishes. I often add some
cubes of cooked bacon or ham to the sauce.
Serves 6
Ingredients
225g macaroni or ditalini
50g butter
150g onion, finely chopped
50g plain flour
850ml boiling whole milk
¼ tsp Dijon or English mustard
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
225g freshly grated mature Cheddar cheese or a mix of Cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan
25g freshly grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Bring 3.4 litres water to the boil in a large saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Sprinkle in the macaroni and stir to make sure it doesn’t stick together. Cook according to the packet instructions until just soft. Drain well.
Meanwhile, melt the butter over a gentle heat, add the chopped onion, stir to coat, cover and sweat over a gentle heat for 6-8 minutes. Add the flour and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk the milk in gradually, season well with salt and pepper, then return to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the mustard, parsley, if using, and cheese. Add the well-drained macaroni and return to the boil. Season to taste and serve immediately.
Alternatively, turn into a 1.2 litre pie dish
and sprinkle the extra grated cheese over the top. Bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for
15-20 minutes.
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Meatballs are a universal comfort food, nourishing and delicious right up there with burgers. One can do tons of variations on the theme. Use freshly minced meat and include at least 20% fat for extra sustenance.
Serves 6
Ingredients
Meatballs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
900g freshly minced beef (80% lean) OR 700g beef/225g pork
50g soft white breadcrumbs
50ml milk
2-4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as marjoram, or a mixture of parsley, chives and thyme leaves
1 organic egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
900g ripe, peeled and chopped tomatoes or 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
good pinch of crushed chilli flakes (optional)
salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar
120ml rich cream, optional
To Serve
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g Mozzarella and Parmesan, grated & mixed
450g spaghetti
rocket leaves (optional)
Garnish
parsley leaves
Method
First make the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a heavy, stainless-steel saucepan over a gentle heat and add the chopped onions and garlic. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and slightly golden. Allow to cool.
Soak the breadcrumbs in milk.
Put the freshly minced beef and breadcrumbs into a bowl with the cold sweated onion, garlic, chopped herbs (and chilli flakes if using) and the beaten egg. Season the mixture to taste and mix really well. Fry a tiny bit to check the seasoning, adjust if necessary. Divide the mixture and roll into about 24 meatballs. Cover and refrigerate.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a casserole or a stainless-steel saucepan. Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic, toss until coated, cover and sweat over a gentle heat until soft. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes and chilli flakes, mix and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar (tinned tomatoes take more sweetening) add 120ml rich cream and allow to bubble, optional. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, uncover and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until thick and unctuous.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling water. Drain and turn into a hot serving dish.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning from time to time. When they are cooked, transfer to an ovenproof serving dish. Add to the hot tomato sauce, turn gently to cover. Pop into a preheated oven at 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Serve immediately. Alternatively serve the meatballs in tomato sauce with crusty bread and/or just a green salad.
Spoon the meatballs and tomato sauce over the top of the spaghetti, sprinkle with grated Mozzarella and Parmesan on top or place under a preheated grill to let the cheese melt. Sprinkle with lots of flat parsley leaves.
Rice Pudding with Roast Rhubarb
Roasting seems to intensify the flavour, and it pairs deliciously with a creamy rice pudding.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
100g pearl rice (short-grain rice)
40g sugar
small knob of butter
850ml milk
1 x 1. 2 litre capacity pie dish
Roast Rhubarb (see recipe)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Put the rice, sugar and butter into a pie dish. Bring the milk to the boil and pour over. Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours. The skin should be golden, the rice underneath should be cooked through and have soaked up the milk but still be soft and creamy. Calculate the time so that it’s ready for pudding. If it has to wait in the oven for ages, it will be dry and dull, and you’ll wonder why you bothered.
Roast Rhubarb
Ingredients
900g garden rhubarb
200-250g sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6.
Wipe the rhubarb but do not peel, slice into 2 1/2cm pieces and arrange in a single layer in a medium size oven proof dish. Scatter the sugar over the rhubarb and allow to macerate for 30 minutes. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes approximately depending on size, until the rhubarb is just tender. Serve alone with softly whipped cream or with a bubbly rice pudding. (Keeps in a fridge for 4-5 days).
