Concerns have been raised about school dinners in Flintshire after claims pupils have not been offered the usual cooked meals for two weeks. 

The primary school menu, provided by Newydd Catering and Cleaning company, usually consists of two options of cooked food and a dessert which changes every day. 

These options include meals like bolognese, roast chicken, chicken burger as well as vegetarian options too. 

As well as this, daily options of sandwiches, jacket potatoes and pasta pots are also available. 

However, according to a concerned parent from Ysgol Glanrafon in Mold: "For the last two weeks children were only given the option of sandwiches, jacket potatoes or pasta pot's and there were no hot food options available."

The parent, who did not want to be named, added: "The quality and quantity of food being offered is really poor and might be breaking rules set by Welsh Government."

Healthy Eating Regulations in schools in Wales set out strict guidelines in relation to school dinners in primary schools for example that; at least one portion of fruit and vegetables/salad must be provided every day (excluding potatoes) and fish must be provided at least once a week. 

Welsh Government have funded local authorities across Wales to begin rolling out their offer of a free, nutritious school meal, starting with their youngest learners.

Most children in reception classes will have received universal primary free school meals from this September with the roll out to all primary school children by 2024. 

At Ysgol Glanrafon free meals are currently offered to nursery and reception with parents of other students at the school paying £2.50 per day per child. 

Despite the lack of cooked meal options being offered to the students, parents were still expected to pay the same amount. 

According to the parent, other parents at the school commented that their children were left hungry from the school dinners on offer. 

The parent continued: "There are reports of food going out cold and yesterday the only option was vegetarian bolognese, which lots of children complained about."

Newydd Catering and Cleaning company is a Flintshire Council owned Trading Company.

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Steve Jones, managing director of NEWydd Catering and Cleaning, said: “The issues we are experiencing at Ysgol Glanrafon, and at other schools across Flintshire, are due in the main to the unprecedented staffing shortages we are dealing with at present.

"As has been well documented in the national press regularly in recent months, we know that NEWydd is not alone in being affected by the employment crisis which is affecting the hospitality and care sectors more than most.

“At present, with absence rates running at well over 10%, we have had to provide a reduced service to various schools across the county at different times since they returned in September.

"We continue to work with our catering teams and support them where possible in providing the full range of menu options on our three weekly menu. Without the support of our Central Kitchen at Mold these problems would have been a lot worse and we would have had to provide packed lunches at many more schools."

Through continuous recruitment the company has appointed over 60 new team members since the summer, however they are currently still recruiting for various positions.

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Mr Jones added: "We do still have a number of vacancies advertised and would love to hear from anyone looking for part time work. 

"This would suit parents or carers of school aged children or anyone wanting a rewarding job in delivering Welsh Government’s initiative of providing all the children at our primary schools in Wales with a free, hot and nutritious school meal.”