Marcus Rashford criticises ‘unacceptable’ school meals sent to UK families

Footballer joins outcry after mother shares photograph of paltry food parcel

Footballer Marcus Rashford has critcisied some free school meals as being inadequate. Reuters

Marcus Rashford on Monday hit out at free school meals being provided to British children as inadequate.

The Manchester United striker took to social media after a mother shared a photograph of a food parcel she said was valued at about £5 ($6.78).

Among the items in the hamper were bread, cheese, three apples, two carrots, two potatoes, a bag of pasta and a can of baked beans. The mother said that the food had been provided instead of £30 of food vouchers and was supposed to provide lunches for a child for 10 days.

Rashford, who previously led a successful campaign for free school meals to be supplied during school holidays, said the parcel was unacceptable.

“Children deserve better than this,” he tweeted.

The footballer shared two more examples of provisions sent to families that again fell short of expectations.

“Then imagine we expect the children to engage in learning from home. Not to mention the parents who, at times, have to teach them who probably haven’t eaten at all so their children can,” he said.

Boris Johnson's spokesman said the contents of some free school meal food parcels was “completely unacceptable”.

"We’re aware of those images circulating on social media, and it is clear that the contents of those food parcels are completely unacceptable," he said.

"The Department for Education is looking into this urgently and the minister for children, Vicky Ford, is speaking to the company responsible and they will be making it clear that boxes like this should not be given to families."

The Department for Education said it had clear guidelines for food parcels.

"Parcels should be nutritious and contain a varied range of food,” the department said.

Chartwells, the food service contractor that supplies the hampers, also pledged to investigate the claims.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention, this does not reflect the specification of one of our hampers,” it tweeted.

In October, Rashford became an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his work combating child hunger.

The England footballer, 23, campaigned successfully for the government to allow about 1.3 million underprivileged children to claim free school meal vouchers in England’s school holidays during the pandemic.

Previously, free meals were only supplied during the school term.

The government initially blocked the bid but was forced into two U-turns after a public outcry.

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  Manchester United player Marcus Rashford and his mother Melanie visit FareShare Greater Manchester at New Smithfield Market, Manchester. AP Photo

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  Marcus Rashford, seen here on the left, waged a high-profile campaign to persuade the Government to provide free meals to vulnerable youngsters in England throughout the school holidays during the coronavirus pandemic. AP Photo

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  Staff at The Watering Can Restaurant and Cafe in Liverpool's Greenbank Park prepare free half-term meal packs for children. Getty Images

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  Camp Manager Georgia Marks and Leigh Ellwood, owner of Planet Youth holiday and after school camps, prepare food lunch packs for those who are in need of free children’s meals over the half term holiday, in Muswell Hill, London. Getty Images

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  A young boy carries free half-term meal packs for himself and his sibling from the Watering Can Cafe in Liverpool. Getty Images

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  Volunteers from Richmond Rugby prepare to deliver meals to local school children on the Ivybridge estate in Twickenham, south west London. AFP

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  Vikki Long from the Barkers of Richmond fish and chip shop prepares a serving of fish and chips on. The chip shop are offering family meal deals throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Getty Images

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  A waitress serves a meal at a cafe in the Richmond Victorian indoor market. The cafe are offering free meals to families in need during the school holidays. Getty Images

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  Staff at The Watering Can Restaurant and Cafe in Liverpool's Greenbank Park prepare free half-term meal packs for children. Getty Images

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  Dom Palacio, Head of Community at Richmond Rugby, delivers meals to local school children living in a block of flats on the Ivybridge estate in Twickenham, south west London. AFP