Labour has confirmed more details of its plan to reinstate the former school lunch programme from Term 1 2028, if elected.
The party has released a cost of living action plan, tying a bow on the cost of living policy blitz it's been conducting in recent weeks.
While mostly a recap of already-announced policies like the three free GP visits, public transport fare caps, and student debt cut, there are two new policies on the list.
The document said the lunches would continue to cover 244,400 students in the 1014 schools already included. Lunches would be $5 a meal, and $6.50 for students in years 9 to 13.
The lunches would be made in school kitchens, by iwi and hapū partners or by local caterers.
Labour's fiscal plan, released last week, said it would continue to fund the existing programme at $146.2 million for the 2027/28 fiscal year, $295.4m for 2028/29, and then $149.2m in 2029/30.
The cost of living policy plan also included a commitment to restore rural school bus routes.
Labour said if it could not restore a cancelled route, then it would work with rural communities and local councils to find an alternative.
The Green Party also has promised to reinstate the former school lunch programme.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said the Greens' election policy would restore the Ka Ora Ka Ako programme so lunches were provided through schools or local providers, and would expand it to approximately 400 more schools.
Davidson said this would ensure 150,000 more children would get a lunch every day.
The current Government has also funded the Healthy School Lunches programme for another year, committing $212m towards an extension.
While the programme would remain as-is for 2027, the associate education minister said it was likely changes would be made for 2028 and beyond.
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