IMAGES of 'woefully inadequate' free school meals sent to families were shared online, sparking a Government investigation.

Children’s Minister Vicky Ford said she would be “urgently” looking into the matter after one mother posted an image of a £30 parcel which was estimated to contain just over £5 worth of food.

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We asked our readers what they thought about the meals and here's what you said:

GORDON CRAIG: “The purpose of using companies to source food rather than just give parents a voucher is to try and achieve economies of scale and get more food for the same amount of money.

“These companies seem instead to be taking £25 of taxpayers money for themselves and giving £5 for starving kids. If you’re comfortable with that it’s your choice. Myself, I’m on the side of the hungry kids.”

STACEY WIGGINS: “Surely they could do vouchers for supermarkets so that the parents can buy what the kids actually like and put conditions on the vouchers so that anything which isn’t food can’t be purchased.”

BRIDGET SIMMONDS: “The £30 was over Christmas and new year. This amount is for one week. I was very grateful with what I had. Every little helps when you are in need.”

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CHARLIE JONES: “It’s not a case of not being grateful or not even having enough really because you could possibly make it stretch, but it’s the fact that this money is ending up in the back pockets of these companies instead of being used for its intended purpose.”

SARAH BARRETT: “Maybe food vouchers to be used for food only would be better. Then the children can eat what food they like (as some may have allergies) and it would go to who needs it most not a rip off company supplying next to nothing and limited food for £30.”

NATALIE LEWIS: “Should be grateful for what ever you get to be honest. There are families out there that get no help but they still have to feed their children. Some people are so ungrateful.”

JACQUELINE CLEMENTS: “I don’t know why they don’t give the money to local restaurants/cafes. Let them batch cook ready meals which can just be heated up.”

MICHELLE MITCHELL: “I personally think all the supermarkets should put together a £30 food parcel. At least people would get a proper amount of food.”

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MARIE HADAWAY: “The point that all those lacking in empathy are failing to understand is that the tax payer (us) is spending £30 on these food parcels for those most in need, but when you cost up the actual items provided in the package it is about £5 worth of food.

“Where is the remaining £25 going? That is the point of the outrage.”

TRACY COLLETT: “So ungrateful. If you’re hungry you would eat it.”

JOHN SLATER: “What are people expecting a Cordon Bleu meal from a Michelin star chef?”

PETER ALEXANDER: “What a joke. Is that the best they can do?”

RHAM NOUISA: “Two choices: take it or leave it.”

STEVE HILL: “There are a few meals in the picture, but not 10 days’ worth. It is not about Covid. Poorer kids get free school meals all the time, in term time.

“Marcus Rashford’s commendable campaign was to extend that to school holidays, during the pandemic, and also to periods when schools are necessarily shut.

“I have teachers in my family. Some kids don’t get to eat if they don’t have a school dinner. The teachers know who they are.

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“These kids are terrified of someone in their class bubble getting symptoms because they will be told to go home and self-isolate for a period. Only in their case that means self-isolate and starve as well.”

GWEN BROOKES: “This is just sandwiches. I used to have free school meals 60+ years ago. The school dinner was my main meal and we’d have a fish paste or jam sandwich for our evening meal.

“What is offered above does not replace a hot meal and certainly is nowhere near £30 worth of food.”

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