Tēnā koutou katoa
It has been a productive start to 2026, and I am pleased by all the positive actions across the motu so far in Term 1.
Daily data we receive each week from our external suppliers tells us they are doing a great job at delivering in-full and on-time, even with the weather events that we’ve been experiencing. And thanks to schools who keep their suppliers updated whenever there are road closures or schools needing to close for unplanned reasons like unforeseen weather.
The focus of the programme is to reduce surplus and waste. We appreciate it when schools work closely with providers to match meal uptake with the number of students in school.
To support a sustainable programme, teaching students to separate leftover food from packaging or plates after they’ve eaten their meal as part of their lunch routine will reduce the amount the programme spends on separating these things out after the waste has been picked up.
It’s no different than at home, where most of us are responsible for separating and sorting our own recycling and waste.
Students are welcome to have more than one meal if there are any leftovers after lunch. Distributing meals into the community is unsafe and not recommended by the programme.
Hoping that the term has started well for you and I am looking forward to getting out into as many schools as possible this year.
Andrew Gibson
General Manager– Strategic Programmes
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education
Programme name realignment#
Under direction from the Minister late last year, the programme’s official name going forward is simply Healthy School Lunches. The ‘Ka Ora, Ka Ako’ portion of the name has been retired. Make sure that your meetings, emails, and website update references to the programme are using Healthy School Lunches.
You might also have noticed a change in signatures and branding from us since the beginning of this week. Healthy School Lunches is now part of Te Mahau | Education Services, rather than Te Pae Aronui. This shift is the result of a restructure at the Ministry, with no changes affecting you, your Senior Advisor or how you receive lunches through the programme.
For more information about the name realignment, see:
Meal assessments underway#
Meal assessments are underway to check lunches meet the programme’s nutrition standards. This process includes programme team members picking up surplus meals from schools for assessment.
Along with a nutrition assessment, we consider the meal’s visual appeal and, where possible, student feedback.
Assessment outcomes are shared with the meal provider to let them know how they are tracking against the standards, what the student feedback was that day, and any areas for improvement.
One meal doesn’t tell us much about a meal provider’s performance overall, so we wait until we have a minimum number of meals collected and assessed before we interpret how the meal provider’s lunches are performing against programme nutrition requirements.
Healthy School Lunches senior advisors with nutrition qualifications are available to answer any questions schools have about the meal assessment process.
Email: [email protected]
Term 1, 2026 survey coming soon#
The Term 1, 2026 survey will be emailed out to you on 16 March.
Distribution of uneaten meals reminder#
Redistributing surplus lunches outside the school day can create food safety risks. The Ministry appreciates school cooperation in not distributing meals outside the school, and in returning any surplus to suppliers and partners.
General guidance:
- Lunches are for students while they are in school.
- If students want an extra helping, particularly if they are very active, that is great. Schools can provide a second (or third) lunch to hungry students if there are extra meals available.
- Lunches need to be collected by meal providers so we can monitor and minimise surplus. They are not for distribution in the community.
Food safety reminder#
Keep meals and foreign objects#
It is essential to remember that in the unlikely event of a food safety incident occurring at your school, remind students and staff of the importance of keeping the meal and any foreign object to help in the investigation.
- Call your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor and/or supplier immediately.
- Do not throw the meal away. Retain the meal and packaging.
- Clearly label ‘do not use’ and refrigerate to preserve the meal.
- If a foreign object has been found in the meal, retain it.
We will arrange for the meals and, if relevant, the foreign object to be picked up. The Ministry follows a robust process to investigate all food safety incidents and put corrective action in place. When necessary, New Zealand Food Safety (MPI) is involved and will lead the investigation.
In the event of a food safety incident, it is unhelpful to learn about the incident from secondhand sources or online. This can cause a delay in the investigation to put corrective action in place and undue concern for students and school communities.
If your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor is away, email us.
Email: [email protected]
External model update#
Insulated distribution boxes#
We have received several reports from suppliers about insulated distribution boxes getting damaged or broken.
Insulated distribution boxes are an integral component in the delivery system for many suppliers providing kai to schools on the external model. Insulated distribution boxes help meals get delivered at the required temperature and safely to school. The boxes are designed to maintain appropriate food temperatures during transport and make moving meals efficient, easy, and convenient.
Make sure that your insulated distribution boxes are carefully handled, always accounted for and returned to suppliers.
The Ministry will be looking at invoicing schools to pay for damage or replacement costs of these boxes going forward.
Distribution funding update#
Most schools will be required to reapply for distribution funding for the remainder of 2026. Eligible schools will be sent the application form in March to apply for funding for Term 2 through Term 4, 2026.
Note that the application will only need to be completed once. Schools of external supplier, StarFresh, do not need to apply for distribution funding, staffing is included in the Star Fresh agreement.
Sunset Primary School: a case study in creative distribution#
Sunset Primary has developed an effective distribution method that works well for their school and takes only 1 hour per day.
There are 159 students at Sunset Primary. The students and their whānau appreciate and see the learning benefits of receiving breakfast from KickStart, Fruit in Schools, and Healthy School Lunches.
Each week, 2 different senior students help a teacher aide with breakfast and lunch distribution. Following roll call each morning, the two student volunteers visit every class to record exact daily student numbers and drop off the completed list at the office. When lunches arrive to the staffroom at midday, they are in boxes labelled junior and senior. The teacher aide packs the meals into collapsable crates according to the labels.
At 12:15pm, the student volunteers deliver the crates to classes. They then place 1 poly bin for every 3 classes, leaving it outside a nominated classroom. This takes approximately 15 minutes.
The lunch bell rings, and all the students eat in their classrooms together for 15 minutes. Students then place their packaging, waste, and sporks into the poly bins. The teacher aide collects the poly bins from the classrooms while the students play. The bins are put outside the staffroom for collection by the supplier, who takes all the waste and packaging away.
The principal says the hour the teacher aide spends daily on lunch distribution is just as important as being in the classroom. The school distributes based on the classroom numbers and any leftover lunches are eaten by the senior students having seconds.
Supplier spotlight: Appresso#
Appresso has been a lunch supplier to schools in Auckland since the programme's launch in 2021. Term 1, 2026 saw its reach expand to include 16 schools across west Auckland, the North Shore, and downtown. Owner and Managing Director Eber Santos says a core value of Appresso is being able to contribute meaningfully to the community that has made possible its success.
“Serving students in the Healthy School Lunches programme allows us to reach people in a way that people need.”
Every school day at 3:30am in one central kitchen, Appresso staff begin preparing 4,500 meals to be delivered by lunchtime to its Healthy School Lunches roster.
Approximately 1,500kg of kai is cooked fresh each day; there is no freezing or reheating premade food. The lunches that are served in the programme are the same restaurant-style food that Appresso makes for the corporate events it caters.
Of the 4,500 students who receive their lunches from Appresso, 700 require special dietary meals which takes extra care and consideration to make and deliver.
Eber says that already this term students have shown preference to certain menu items, noting that the biggest hits so far are butter chicken (prepared by an in-house traditional Indian chef), chilli con carne, beef burgers, lamb koftas, and spaghetti bolognese.
Appresso reports low surplus and waste collection after lunch services, underscoring the enthusiasm with which its schools tuck into its meals.
Internal model update#
Food safety#
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has made available a new food safety resource poster on its website. The poster can be downloaded and printed for use in programme in kitchens.
Top 5 Food Safety Factors: Food service MPI
A 40-week Food Control Plan diary is available on the Ministry website to help you keep the most important records in one place.
40-week Food Control Plan diary
Cost-effective recipes#
The cost-effective recipes have been updated with the Term 1, 2026 product prices.
Outstanding menus#
Over 50% of all required menu submissions are still outstanding. Submitting termly menus is a funding agreement requirement of the Healthy School Lunches programme.
Schools and kura are encouraged to use the Ministry cost-effective recipes and the 2-week sample menu to assist in preparing termly menus.
If you have not submitted the Term 1 2026 menu, email it to us as soon as possible.
Email: [email protected]
Your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor is available to help, if required.
10-day surplus lunches count#
Last year, we asked internal model schools and kura to count the number of surplus lunches they have at the end of each day, for 10 days. They then entered the results into the end-of-term survey.
We are requesting internal model schools and kura continue to do a 10-day surplus lunches count during Term 1 and enter the information to the end-of-term survey.
Note that a surplus lunch is a complete and untouched meal left over at the end of the day.
As mentioned above, the end of Term 1, 2026 survey will be emailed to you on Monday 16 March.
Term 1 workshops#
Online End-of-Term Financial Reporting (Term 1, 2026)
This workshop is for schools and kura who receive funding automatically. It outlines the online end-of-term financial reporting process. It also runs through an Excel cashbook tool providing a workbook to input expenditure throughout the term and auto-populates this expenditure onto an end-of-term reporting workbook which saves time.
Date: Tuesday 10 March 2026, from 10am to 10:30am.
Introductory Business Continuity Planning (BCP) workshop
This workshop covers the basics to develop a BCP that will outline potential disruptions to providing lunches, and options to manage them to ensure lunch continuity.
Date: Tuesday 17 March 2026, from 3:30pm to 4pm.
Introductory Waste Management Planning workshop
This workshop goes through the basics on waste management planning including developing a simple waste management plan and where to access resources.
Date: Tuesday 24 March 2026, from 3.30pm to 4pm.
RSVP
To attend any of the listed Term 1 workshops, email us (cc. your senior advisor) with your name and the name of your school or kura.
Email: [email protected]
A calendar appointment with a link to the Teams meeting will be sent to you.
Iwi and hapū update#
Costing workshop#
A costing workshop is being planned for Hawke's Bay and Tai Tokerau internal and, iwi and hapū model schools and kura for the school holidays.
The in-person workshops will be open to all iwi and hapū partners in these regions. Workshop content will focus on costing and budgeting for effective menu planning. If you are interested in attending, speak with your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor for details and more information.
Ikura reminder#
The Ikura programme removes barriers to attending school by providing access to period products. If your school or kura would like to join the initiative, email us.
Email: [email protected]
