Use it or Lose It

According to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, several streets in my town are in the top 5% - i.e. most deprived in Scotland.

On Fridays, Scottish schools finish at lunchtime (no lunch is served on that day) and children would be seen clutching white picnic bags that meant they were in receipt of free school dinners.

I was glad when it was decided that in the school my children attend, lunches would be free for all 200 children. (This wasn't popular in the 'posher' areas but that's another story).

Today we received a note from school to the effect that many of the lunches were being discarded in the playground and, to avoid waste, we needed to say if we wanted our child to continue receiving the Friday picnic lunch.

I should point out that this is an infant school so the children aren't walking home alone and discarding them.  Their parents are clearly complicit in this food waste.

What a shame.  Why is it that when something is free it is regarded as worthless?  

I'm also concerned that if people don't return their forms the free lunches may be withdrawn altogether.

And, on the subject of food waste...take a look at the kitchen caddy in my Wikaniko shop.