• A technical problem with ovens will cause school lunches to arrive late today, Auckland schools have been told. 
• Principals criticised the lunch programme’s quality, comparing meals to “dog food” and noting lateness. 
• David Seymour urged principals to “take a step back”, citing “teething issues”. 

A technical problem with ovens will see school lunches arrive late across Auckland today. 

It comes after principals took issue with the new lunch programme this week, comparing the meals to “dog food” while the Associate Education Minister, David Seymour, blames the food’s lateness and poor quality on “teething issues”. 

And Seymour has today hit back at upset principals forking out to feed their kids, saying they need to “take a step back”. 

An email has been sent to Auckland schools explaining that there has been a “technical problem” with the ovens. 

“Other Compass kitchens around Auckland are being used to heat meals, however, we anticipate all meals will arrive late to school today. 

“We apologise to you and to the students for the number of times this week the lunches have arrived late.” 

The email from the School Lunch Collective said that schools would be reimbursed for any food they would have to purchase to feed students. 

The School Lunch Collective is being approached for comment. 

It comes after reports the food was showing up at schools hours after lunchtime and the quality was well below what was promised when Seymour reformed the programme last year. 

Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Kyle Brewerton said kids have been comparing the lunches to “dog food” and refusing to eat it.

• "Take a bit of a step back": Seymour hits back against criticism of "terrible" school lunches
• ‘Didn’t look good’: Parents upset at ‘unidentifiable’ kids' lunches

A school lunch described as "unidentifiable pasta ball and lentils". 

“The quality was sort of being touted [last year] as something that was going to be quite nutritious and delicious, and we haven’t experienced that yet.” 

Brewerton said several other issues are being presented by principals including portions too large for youngsters and schools receiving meals hours after lunchtime had ended. 

“There were quite a few cases where food did not even get delivered during school time. 

“Little kids by lunchtime are not going to be learning and they’re certainly not going to be interested in school because they’ll be sitting there with rumbling tummies.” 

Seymour told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast that principals need to “take a step back”. 

“This is a Government with a $7 billion deficit, we spent $130 million on this programme while actually providing more meals for kids this year. 

“We are doing something new, it is only day five, day four in some places. So we’ve got to get a bit of a reality check.” 

He said the media are taking the worst reviews and comments about the lunches to make it seem “terrible”. 

Seymour argued if there were a survey of the lunches 75% of students are still getting from their parents there would be “mixed reviews” as well. 

David Seymour, Associate Minister of Education, says principals need to take a step back. Photo/Michael Craig 

Yesterday, an Auckland parent said their kids brought their school meal home as it was delivered late, after lunchtime. 

“We got home and while I was working they brought it to me to eat as they tried it and it was ‘yuck’.” 

The quality of the lunches had gone downhill since the change of provider, they said. 

“Kids normally loved the lunches last year and would go and check if there was any left at reception to eat or take home, they were that good.” 

The family of a child at Sylvia Park School described a different meal as an “unidentifiable pasta ball and lentils” in a post on social media. 

“Not one child could stomach the food and so after offers to give food away to the local community were declined, all several hundred of these went into the rubbish,” they claimed. 

“Food arrived at 2pm, one hour after lunchtime finished.” 

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.