David Seymour says the school lunch programme will feed more, but cost less with a change of approach based on "the Government's significant buying power".
The ACT leader and Associate Education Minister said it showed the Government was treating taxpayers' money with respect, and will also mean an end to "quinoa, couscous, and hummus" lunches.
"It will be more like sandwiches and fruit."
Seymour said all students currently receiving a lunch through the programme would continue to receive one at school at a significantly lower cost to taxpayers.
“The Healthy School Lunches Programme will continue, alongside a new targeted programme for up to 10,000 two-to-five-year-olds in early learning services."
Seymour said the targeted programme for younger children would be for those who attended low-equity, not-for-profit, community-based early learning services.
It would be funded using the cost savings found in the lunch programme.
Responding to the announcement, Labour's education spokesperson said it was a "win for Kiwi kids" and suggested it would be a "backtrack" for Seymour — who said he wanted to end the programme entirely during the election campaign.
'Help even more children'
He said the first 1000 days were key to a child's development and he was proud the Government could "innovate to help even more children who need it".
According to an information sheet accompanying the announcement, the new approach would use "commercial acumen" and the Government’s considerable buyer power to procure a range of goods nationally. it would distribute these to schools with students in year 7 and over.
Schools would order food from a central source to store, prepare and distribute to students. That was aimed at providing "more flexibility to the school to adjust to the roll and attendance and allows intermediate and secondary school students more choice", an information sheet said.
Seymour said, in the meantime
He said the new model would "save money on food, give schools more flexibility on what they provide, and significantly reduce wastage".
"It also means parents and students can choose to make their own lunch."
Currently school lunches are offered to all students at participating schools, an approach the Ministry of Education website says is in an attempt to avoid the stigma free lunches might bring to children who need it.
'Fiscal cliff'
“Because of the fiscal cliff left by the previous government, we have had to fund an interim solution for 2025 and 2026 in an environment of extreme fiscal restraint to ensure we do not leave children and their families in the lurch," Seymour said.
“Through innovation and embracing commercial expertise, we’re delivering a better programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million per annum compared to how Labour funded it.
“The previous Government conditioned people to believe that the only way to show your love as a government is to spend more money and employ more people. We think getting improved outcomes for all New Zealanders is better and those things are not always connected.
“Students will receive nutritious food that they want to eat. It will be made up of the sorts of food items thousands of mums and dads put into lunch boxes every day for their kids – forget quinoa, couscous, and hummus, it will be more like sandwiches and fruit."
Students at schools receiving taxpayer-funded lunches would also continue to be supported by the Kickstart Breakfast and Fruit in Schools programmes, Seymour's statement said.
For the remainder of 2024, the school lunches programme will remain as is with all current contracts and commitments in place.
Labour's Tinetti responds to Govt announcement
Labour's education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said she was "worried about the changes at intermediate and secondary schools" planned by the Government.
"There will be no change to the programme in years 0-6, and schools will still be able to deliver the programme in a way that works for them. That's a win today for the tens of thousands of people who have campaigned to keep school lunches," she said.
"Principals, teachers and parents have all seen the benefits of kids getting a free and healthy school lunch. Kids learn better when their tummies are full.
"It is concerning however that the lessons we've learned about delivery, minimising waste and choosing foods that kids will eat is being thrown out the window for years 7 and up.
"What we learnt from the current programme is when schools moved away from the model the Government is now mandating in secondary schools, waste reduced dramatically."
She added: "This is a backtrack from the minister, and a win for Kiwi kids."
Concerns over foods bought in bulk - advocates
Co-chairperson of advocacy group Health Coalition Aotearoa professor Boyd Swinburn said the change to buying in bulk for students in intermediate and secondary school would likely result in more packaged foods being delivered to kids.
"Pallets of packaged foods are not going to remotely match the high quality, nutritionally balanced and tasty meals of Ka Ora, Ka Ako," he said in a media release.
"The Ka Ora, Ka Ako meals meet nutritional guidelines and provide students with one third of the nutrients they need each day. The nutrients in these meals are essential for immunity to illness and disease, and to address significant health problems kids are facing including obesity, dental caries and mental ill-health."
He also criticised the ability for students to opt out of the programme, as the current approach "avoided the stigma of poverty" and meant less admin work for schools.
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