Associate Education Minister David Seymour has announced that from Term 1, 2026, a new nationwide school lunch programme will provide affordable and nutritious meals to all contributing primary schools.
The initiative will deliver lunches to around 242,000 students every school day, using a cost-efficient regional model designed to improve access and reduce waste. “As schools open in 2026, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day,” Seymour said.
Ten contracted suppliers will deliver lunches to 188 contributing primary schools across the country. These suppliers—selected through a competitive tender process—will use sustainable packaging, cater for standard special diets, and operate efficient ordering systems to minimise surplus food.
The suppliers are:
- Appresso Pro Foods
- Montana Group
- Ka Pai Kai
- KDJ Catering
- Cafe Mahia
- Star Fresh
- University of Canterbury Student Association (UCSA)
- Knuckles (The Food Company)
- The Y Gisborne
- Pita Pit and Subway
According to Seymour, the new system is expected to save taxpayers around $145 million in 2026 by allowing schools to order based on demand rather than fixed quantities. The average meal cost will be $3.46, significantly lower than the $8.68 per student under the previous Labour-led government’s scheme.
He credited the savings to a regional delivery model and the experience of long-standing providers. “When floods close the roads, Café Mahia still finds a way to deliver lunches to two isolated schools in Wairoa,” he said, citing the flexibility of local suppliers.
The government says the efficiencies achieved will also fund food provision for up to 10,000 preschoolers attending low-equity, community-based early learning services.
Seymour acknowledged that some current suppliers may be affected by the changes but said the focus remains on ensuring students receive healthy meals at an affordable cost to taxpayers.
Image credit: Getty Images
No Subway? bummer, what do you get for $3.46? (probably the same as what you got for $8.68 ) probably a low protein, high carb crap pack, (noodles anyone?) you get what you pay for. I would make my kids their own lunch.
The goal of the State is to have its citizens completely reliant on it and completely compliant to it, voluntarily. The goal of we the people is to express our sovereignty/individuality over this Corporate Construct and break free from its clutches.
They might as well just sign over custody to the state now.
New Zealand the land of Victims if you cannot make your children their own lunch your not fit to be a parent.
Totally agree!!!
If you can’t make your kids lunch, you are a crap parent. It literally takes 5 minutes and 5 bucks.
Would have to have more food value than the McDonalds crap goons line up for for breakfast
You are what You eat
America exported its obesity and health problems to plague the world
Parents using this service should pay for it, dock their benefit
Another sign of how f***** this country has become, thanks to idiots voting mainstream globalist, over and over again. Never mind, I guess there’s always the airport and hope of a better life, somewhere else.
Judging by the comments here school lunches are an easy target for criticism. If the food is sourced locally it would appear to be a plus. $3.50 is the price of a pie, which nobody moaned about in the past.