Darina Allen: The school meals scheme needs to change and here's why

But my primary concern, of which there are many, is the nutritional quality of the food. Much is ultra-processed, which includes flavourings, artificial colourings, and stabilisers.

How much more research do we need to convince us of the negative impacts of these additives and processing aids on our health?

I have just returned from a few weeks in India, where government schools have had a free midday meal programme since 1995.

I visited several schools in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where local women were cooking a midday meal of dahl and rice and chapatis from scratch for the children which they happily shared with me. One was a small village school, others had over 200 pupils. An inexpensive but deeply nourishing meal, the children loved it and were visibly healthy, with beautiful skin and teeth.

Once again at the Ahilya Fort school in Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh, several hundred children eagerly tucked into a simple meal of ancestral food which their teachers also shared, a chickpea dahl with nutrient-dense drumstick greens and freshly cooked flatbread. The children sit cross-legged on mats on the ground. They also bring in a little tiffin box and a water bottle, no fizz or pop. I noticed one lunchbox with crispy, deep-fried okra — none had UPF/ultra-processed food.

Not only were the children well fed, but the ingredients were sourced from local farmers with full traceability, the money goes back directly into the surrounding community and also creates local employment.

Back here in Ireland, I spoke to many parents and teachers. All of whom were positive initially but are now deeply concerned about many aspects of the programme. However, it has to be said that one parent, whose children are attending St Luke’s School in Glanmire, Cork City, said she found it brilliant and that her children loved the food. 

Another parent whose children attend a different school, pulled no punches; her response was “it’s shite, a disgrace”.

It is obvious that there is considerable variation between schools depending on the food provider and the facilities.

My greatest concern, of many, is the nutritional value of the food. It’s absolutely vital that we feed our children wholesome, good, healthy food, not UPF.

Study after study has shown that the quality of the food impacts positively or negatively on behaviour, attendance, academic achievement, and overall health.

The scheme is estimated to cost in the region of €300m when rolled out across the country. Surely this is not the best use of the taxpayers’ money.

Many feel that the model urgently needs to be re-evaluated and taken back to the drawing board. Is €3.20 per child a realistic amount to provide real health-giving food? We must not confuse feeding with nourishing.

I do not underestimate the challenge for the Department of Social Protection, but change is undoubtedly necessary.

At present, we are missing many opportunities, not just to nourish but to further educate our children but to give a good example.

Use the budget to commission and source chemical-free produce from local farmers, poultry producers, and artisans at a fair price and provide complete traceability of ingredients.

Practise what we preach about recycling and single-use plastic.

Provide real food, not UPF/ultra-processed food and artificial additives which many of the meals seem to include thus far.

Educate our children on where our food comes from, seasonal food, the importance of sourcing.

Emphasise that food should be our medicine and not create potential health and obesity problems.

At present one in five children here in Ireland are overweight or obese. Diabetes, initially a disease of older people, is now manifesting in young children.

We’re sleepwalking into a health crisis of monumental proportions.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel — just look at Alice Waters Edible Schoolyard Project in Berkeley, California, and the MAD model in Copenhagen, where over 70% of food served in schools, hospitals, and prisons must be organically produced. The initiative has already delivered remarkable outcomes and benefited the public purse.

Japan’s national school lunch programme, where the government prioritises children’s health, is another example of good practice.

After all, the wealth of a nation depends on the health of the nation and the health of the nation depends, to a great extent, on the food we eat.

Mermaid’s Fish Pie

recipe by:Darina Allen

This easy-peasy recipe can be used for almost any round fish, including cod, pollock, ling, haddock, salmon, or grey mullet. I like to prepare a big batch to make several pies, which can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated another day.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 1.1kg cod, hake, haddock or grey mullet fillets, or a mixture

• 15g butter, for greasing

• 600ml whole milk

• approx. 20g roux (made by blending 10g softened butter with 10g plain flour and cook on a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally)

• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard

• 150-175g grated Gruyère or cheddar or 75g grated Parmesan

• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 110g cooked mussels, shelled – keep a few in the shell for garnish

• 110g cooked prawns – keep a few in the shell for garnish

• ½ can of chopped anchovies, approx. 4 fillets (optional)

• 4 sheets of filo pastry (optional)

• melted butter, for brushing

• flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• For the mashed potato (optional)

• 900g unpeeled potatoes, preferably Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks, scrubbed well

• 300ml whole milk

• 1-2 organic, free-range egg yolks or 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk

• 25-50g butter

Method

1. If using mashed potato topping, put the potatoes into a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked after about 15 minutes, strain off two-thirds of the water, replace the lid on the saucepan, put over a gentle heat and steam for 5-6 minutes until cooked. Peel immediately by pulling off the skins, put the potatoes into the bowl of a food mixer and beat or mash by hand.

2. Bring the milk to the boil. Beat the eggs into the hot mashed potatoes and add enough boiling creamy milk to mix to a soft, light consistency, then beat in the butter, the amount depending on how rich you like your potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

4. Skin the fish and cut into 6–8 portions. Season well with salt and pepper. Lay the pieces of fish in a lightly buttered 26cm sauté pan and cover with the milk. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the fish has changed from translucent to opaque. Remove the fish to a plate with a slotted spoon.

5. Bring the milk back to the boil and whisk in enough roux to thicken the sauce to a light coating consistency. Stir in the mustard, cheese, and parsley. Season to taste. Add the cooked fish, most of the mussels and prawns and the anchovies, if using, and stir gently to coat with the sauce. Transfer carefully to a serving dish or dishes. Spoon or pipe a layer of mashed potato on top of each one and tuck the reserved prawns and mussels into the potato topping.

6. Alternatively, brush each filo sheet with melted butter and cut into four pieces. Scrunch up each piece of filo pastry and arrange side by side on top of the pie(s).

7. Bake (both toppings) for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and the filo is crisp and crunchy.

Rice Pudding with Roast Rhubarb

recipe by:Darina Allen

Roasting seems to intensify the flavour, and it pairs deliciously with a creamy rice pudding.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 15 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 100g pearl rice (short-grain rice)

• 40g sugar

• small knob of butter

• 850ml milk

• 1 x 1. 2 litre capacity pie dish

• For the roast rhubarb

• 900g garden rhubarb

• 200-250g sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

2. Put the rice, sugar and butter into a pie dish. Bring the milk to the boil and pour over. Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours. The skin should be golden, the rice underneath should be cooked through and have soaked up the milk but still be soft and creamy. Calculate the time so that it’s ready for pudding. If it has to wait in the oven for ages, it will be dry and dull, and you’ll wonder why you bothered.

3. To make the rhubarb, preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6.

4. Wipe the rhubarb but do not peel, slice into 2 1/2 cm pieces and arrange in a single layer in a medium size oven-proof dish. Scatter the sugar over the rhubarb and allow to macerate for 30 minutes. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes approximatelydepending on size, until the rhubarb is just tender. Serve alone with softly whipped cream or with a bubbly rice pudding.

5. (Keeps in a fridge for 4-5 days).

Feeding Ourselves Gathering 2025

We are looking forward to attending The Feeding Ourselves Gathering which takes place in Cloughjordan in Co. Tipperary from April 3-6. This annual event brings together people from across the island and beyond: local food producers, community and short food chain initiatives, agri-food and land use researchers and advocates. The aim is to strengthen local food economies and support a fair transition where farmers thrive, where everyone has access to healthy, local, appropriate food and where we take real steps to address environmental crises.

Easter Lamb

Still time to order your spring lamb, check out Loughmartin Farm in Co. Galway (loughmountainfarm.ie[/url), Kilmullen Grass Reared Lamb in Co. Wicklow ([url=https://kilmullenfarm.ie]kilmullenfarm.ie[/url]) and Comeragh Mountain Lamb in Co. Waterford (comeraghmountainlamb.ie)

At Ballymaloe, we’ve been buying lamb’s wool fleece for mulch from Michael Looby, an organic sheep farmer from Cappoquin in Co. Waterford.