More pupils in England and Wales unable to afford school meals, say caterers

Effect of cost of living crisis also felt by canteens struggling to provide beef and chicken, finds trade body survey

School caterers warn that more children are falling through the cracks" because of the cost of living crisis, with many reporting a steep fall in the number of pupils able to pay for school meals amid rising food costs and shortages.

A survey by Laca, the school caterers trade body, revealed that beef and chicken were disappearing from school lunch menus because of rising prices, with many companies reporting that even staples such as potatoes and pasta were increasingly expensive and difficult to source.