{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/5e7b6c6f8023938d509dd904/655615dc209d5700124d2e12?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Pod Bites: Chefs in Schools on extending Free School Meals","description":"<p>Danielle Glavin, Head of Communications at <a href=\"https://chefsinschools.org.uk\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Chefs in Schools</a> on the result of a survey which found that a third of families can no longer afford hot school lunches</p><p><br></p><p>Food and children’s charities are calling on the Government to urgently expand eligibility for free school meals after new research found that a third of families can no longer afford hot school lunches. The polling of parents across England, carried out by<a href=\"https://www.survation.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Survation</a> for Chefs in Schools also found that 41% were providing less nutritious packed lunches for children because of rising food prices.</p><p><br></p><p>The research also reveals:</p><p>● 56% of parents are struggling to make ends meet</p><p>● 58% feel the current Free School Meals system, where eligibility varies</p><p>depending on location and age, is unfair</p><p>● 83% of parents wanted eligibility expanded</p><p>● 62% said they would be more likely to vote for a party which promised to</p><p>expand free school meals</p><p><br></p><p>Click <a href=\"https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/policypost/Free_school_meals_July_2023.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for more information on the survey</p><p><br></p><p>Click <a href=\"https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/Election%2024_Manifesto.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for the Food Foundation Manifesto</p>","author_name":"The Food Foundation"}