Innovation for the future of the programme#

There are students experiencing food insecurity who attend schools that are currently not eligible for the programme. Budget 2026 includes funding to identify students experiencing food insecurity and explore innovative model options able to deliver a free lunch, no matter what school they attend in the country.

We will release a Request for Innovation (RFI) on the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) in the coming weeks seeking market involvement. We will also continue discussion with providers that have already presented relevant proposals. Selected approaches may be piloted to test them with students and in the school environment.

Our website has more information about the RFI.

Information for meal providers

The GETS website has more information about how to submit an RFI.

Current tenders – GETS

Surplus and redistribution of surplus reminder#

Some schools are still redistributing surplus lunches to their communities despite our advice not to share leftover food outside of the school.

The Healthy School Lunches programme is funded to help address the impact of food insecurity in schools by making sure students receive a nutritious lunch to support learning.

The main reason we are concerned about redistribution in the community is food safety. Once food leaves the school environment, we can no longer control how it is stored or handled, which creates a food safety risk.

Surplus food also increases programme costs and reduces the number of students we can support or menu improvements we can fund. We have found that one of the most effective ways to reduce surplus is for schools to better align their orders with actual uptake. If we minimise surplus, taxpayer funding can be used efficiently, and the savings can be invested back into the provision of lunches for students.

Responsibilities for schools#

Responsibilities include:

• Minimise surplus of both standard and special meals through ordering accuracy. Adjust orders to account for absenteeism, meal uptake, and days where meals are not required.
• The safest option is for students to eat their lunch during the school day.
• Make sure no student misses out on a meal and make second helpings available to those who want it.
• Manage surplus and return all uneaten meals to the meal providers.

Surplus reduction tips#

Tips we’ve picked up from our discussions with schools include:

• Use cohort-based ordering instead of overall reductions. Track surplus by cohort over a few weeks to identify patterns and adjust orders accordingly.
• Engage Enviro Councils to support efforts around waste reduction, surplus, and sustainability.
• Make surplus visible and trackable at the distribution point and request providers to record surplus daily. The school can do it if they have the capacity.
• Serve meals earlier to create more time and opportunity for uptake.
• Talk to meal providers and jointly agree on plans to increase daily uptake to reduce surplus.

We appreciate your continued commitment to making sure students have access to safe and nutritious lunches, and for your support in keeping this programme safe, sustainable, and focused on student need in schools.

External model update#

Keep lunch orders updated#

It is important for you to update your meal orders often to avoid unnecessary waste and surplus.

If lunches are not required by your school on a specific day – such as teacher only days or sports events – or you know your order will be different than usual, let your supplier know. Some suppliers have 5 to 10 working day notice periods, so make sure you modify orders within the supplier timeframe. If you are unsure, check with your supplier.

Plan ahead and make the required changes to upcoming lunch order variations with your meal provider.   

Supplier spotlight: The Food Company (Knuckles)#

The Food Company (Food Co) is no stranger to the Healthy School Lunches programme. They have served meals to New Zealand students since the programme piloted in 2019. 

Joining the programme was a no-brainer for company director Simon Withnall who says: "We saw a need and wanted to be part of the solution."

Each school day, The Food Co delivers approximately 2,300 meals across 13 schools. Over time, delivery and food requirement logistics are assessed, reorganised, and improved against experience gained.

Hot meals are delivered to schools via a fleet of 8 vehicles. Lunches are packed into individual containers and vacuum sealed chafing-style dishes for perfect temperature maintenance during transport. The Food Co services programme schools across an area of 648 kilometres every school day.

Making sure all aspects of food safety and nutritional standards are met are The Food Co’s main priorities, along with making delicious kai that students will enjoy eating.

Menus are constantly recreated and updated according to student feedback because The Food Co spends a lot of time listening to what students like and do not like. Feedback is provided through daily report sheets that both staff and students use.

While all lunches provided by The Food Co are enjoyed by students across the Hawke's Bay region, hot meals are preferred, popularising 3 timeless favourites butter chicken, meatballs, and mac 'n cheese.

"We work very hard to meet and exceed school needs," Simon says. "The Food Co forms strong relationships with the schools we serve, knowing we are making a significant impact on the ground."

Internal model update #

Surplus lunch count and end-of-lunch measure#

We have observed anecdotally that the internal delivery model achieves high uptake, along with consistently low levels of surplus lunches and waste.

From an assurance perspective, we need to support this activity with reliable data, as is required across all delivery models on the Healthy School Lunches programme.

We ask internal model schools and kura to provide surplus lunch data through termly surveys and and an annual waste snapshot in the Term 3 survey. We recognise that many kitchens already collect surplus lunch information as part of their food control plan and your support in providing this data is essential.

Reminder: outstanding 2025 end-of-term financial reports#

There are a few outstanding 2025 end-of-term financial reports. These reports are a foundational requirement of all funding agreements. The report collects data used to measure progress and inform for future programme planning.

If you have not yet returned this report, do so urgently. If you need support, contact your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor.

Reminder: cost-effective recipes#

New cost-effective recipes are now available on the Ministry website, with more additions expected throughout Term 2.

Cost-effective recipes

Upcoming online workshops#

To attend any of the below Term 2 workshops, email us with your name and the name of your school or kura. Include your senior advisor in the email.

Email: [email protected]

A calendar appointment with a link to the Teams meeting will be sent to you.

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 for lunch continuity.

Date: Tuesday 26 May 2026, 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 2 June 2026, 3:30pm to 4pm

Internal Model Online End of Term Financial Reporting

This workshop is for schools and kura who receive their funding automatically. It covers the online end-of-term financial reporting process. It also runs through an Excel Cashbook tool. This provides a workbook to input your expenditure throughout the term and auto populates this expenditure onto an end-of-term reporting workbook, saving time.

Date: Tuesday 9 June 2026, 3:30pm to 4pm

Introductory food safety workshop 

This online workshop is designed for school or kura leadership who are new to the internal model or want a refresher. It introduces key food safety requirements, including an overview of the Food Act 2014, the food control plan and the registration and verification process. It provides information on preventing and reporting food incidents.

Date: Thursday 18 June 2026, 3:30pm to 4pm

Iwi and hapū update#

Meal assessments#

Healthy School Lunches senior advisors have started working alongside lunch partners to complete assessments through a collaborative kōrero and hands-on process. The aim is to gather meal assessment data. The feedback received so far this term underscores the value and effectiveness of working together in partnership.

Contact your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor with any questions.

Ikura reminder#

Two new products have been added to the Ikura | free period products in schools range: light flow pads and light flow tampons.

These products are smaller in size with lighter absorbency, designed to better support younger students and those with smaller bodies during menstruation.

Ikura is sending out a survey soon to see how schools across the motu | country implement the programme and to identify areas where more support could be helpful. Your voice matters, so take the time to complete the survey.

The Ikura programme removes barriers to attending school by providing access to free period products across each menstruation cycle. If your school or kura would like to join the initiative, contact the Ikura team.

Email: [email protected]