Parents say their children are being fed ‘constant potatoes’ after a school was forced to cut back its menu due to Covid staff shortages.

Pupils at Richmond Primary School in Hinckley, Leicestershire, were offered a jacket potato every day this week, often with a side of chips, wedges or mash.

Caterers have apologised and say the limited menu is only temporary as they deal with staff sickness due to Covid.

But one parent says the options, which used to be ‘varied and fairly interesting’, are now just potatoes with potatoes.

They told LeicestershireLive: ‘It’s gone from being a varied, fairly interesting menu to being pretty much constant potatoes.

‘On one day, one of the menu options is a jacket potato with chicken mayonnaise that you can have with a side of jacket potato.

‘On other days, you can order a jacket potato with jacket wedges, creamy mashed potatoes, chips, minted potatoes and parsley potatoes.

‘I understand that everyone is dealing with staff shortages, but why does that mean that our kids now have to exist on a diet of potatoes cooked in different ways?

‘It’s especially tough for vegetarian or vegan kids. I’m assuming most will resort to a packed lunch, unless they really love potatoes.’

Pupils were offered two main options for lunch this week; one of which was always a baked potato while the other was more varied including pizza, bolognaise or fish fingers.

But pupils could have picked double potatoes three times this week, particularly those who don’t eat meat or fish.

In a letter to parents, the catering manager wrote that the situation in staff sickness has worsened after Christmas due to the Omicron wave.

They added: ‘We have robust contingency plans in place to deal with staff shortages and these plans involve a simplified menu which can be delivered with fewer staff.

‘While we are experiencing high levels of staff absence, we will be introducing a simplified menu. This will start from Monday 17 January 2022.

‘A simplified menu will ensure we can continue to support the seamless delivery of good quality, hot, healthy school meals at your school every day.’

Leicestershire County Council said the decision to simplify the menu had not ‘been taken lightly’ and the new options had been developed with dietitians to ensure heathy, nutritious hot meals continue to be available.

A spokesperson said: ‘We are doing everything we can to support schools as we experience shortages in staff, due to rise in omicron cases, alongside national felt difficulties recruiting to the hospitality sector.

‘We would like to stress that this a temporary measure to ensure business continuity, and the intention of the service is regularly review the situation to reinstate the full choice menu as soon as is possible.

‘The revised menu continues to provide choice and value for money while meeting government food standards, and it has been carefully pulled together taking into account both cultural and dietary requirements.

‘School food service staff are working extremely hard in very challenging circumstances and the measures that are being put in place will support the wellbeing of staff and the continued delivery of a high standard service.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article