Schoolkids in Ireland will have the option of hot vegan school meals thanks to a new initiative to support healthy eating.

The Hot School Meals Scheme Project gives funding for students in primary schools across the country, and will provide a vegan option as standard.

The €1 million funding caters for 7,200 students in 36 schools. All the schools need to do is identify a company to prepare and deliver the hot meals.

Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said: “The provision of adequate and nutritious meals for a child’s health, learning, attention, and educational achievement is invaluable.

“I believe that the provision of hot food services in schools guarantees ongoing positive returns on public investment in the health and educational performance of future generations.”

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The plan follows on from a trial at Our Lady of Lourdes National School in Dublin starting in January, in which 250 schoolkids were given a hot school meal every day.

The new scheme also caters for any religious and cultural dietary requirements. It also aims to cater for schools which do not have kitchen facilities.

“We have learned so much from the children and, thanks to the success of the pilot in Inchicore, we are rolling it out to 36 schools, including Our Lady of Lourdes, next September,” Doherty added.

The Department of Social Protection said in a statement: “Each primary school participating in the pilot project will be expected to provide a menu choice of at least two different meals per day plus a Vegetarian/Vegan and an option that caters for students’ religious and cultural dietary requirements.

“Schools that are interested in participating in the initiative have until 12th June 2019 to apply.”

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