Aoife Hearne: My children have lost interest in the free school meals. What do you suggest?

A good place to start with your daughters is to understand why they have lost interest in the school meals — are they fed up with the menu options or has the quality deteriorated?

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026 - 11:16

Aoife Hearne

Dietitian

My two primary school daughters are on the free school meals scheme. The lunches were a novelty, but my children have lost interest in recent weeks. I’ve considered packing a lunch as a back-up, but I’m worried they’ll use it as an excuse not to eat the school lunch. What would you suggest?

The free school lunches are a hot topic. While the scheme itself has been operational for Deis schools for the past six years, nearly everyone seems to have an opinion on it since the nationwide rollout was announced in 2025.