A scheme to provide free meals to all state primary school children in the capital has given out 100 million lunches, according to City Hall.
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan launched the scheme in 2023 to help families with rising living costs and he has since pledged to fund it throughout his term in office.
Each child has so far been provided with 435 free lunches on average, saving families up to £500 a year per child.
Sir Sadiq, visiting Shoreditch Park Primary School in Hackney to celebrate the milestone, said: “These healthy meals are ensuring children don’t go hungry at school, making them ready to learn and giving them the energy to make the most of everything the school day offers, while also taking the financial pressure off their families.
“I know from personal experience what a difference these meals make, so to be able to ensure that hundreds of thousands of children are receiving them across London every single day brings huge personal pride.”
Celebrity chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver added: “Kids in London are properly fuelled to learn, thanks to the Mayor.
“Serving 100 million free school meals is an amazing achievement.
“For families feeling the squeeze, easing financial pressure is priceless but free school meals deliver even more than that.
“When we feed kids well, the benefits are profound – better attendance, better grades, better jobs and over 20 years that stacks up to an extra £40 billion back into the economy.”
Penny Smith, Shoreditch Park’s headteacher, said: “Universal free school meals make a significant difference.
“Our pupils help shape the menu through pupil voice groups, and our Green Team leads sustainability initiatives such as Meat-Free Mondays, daily composting and using ingredients from our school garden.”
When the £130million-a-year project was launched, City Hall said it was to be temporary, as it was being paid for by “one-off funding from additional business rates income”.
Sir Sadiq’s funding pays for meals for children in Years 3-6, as pupils in Reception and Years 1 and 2 automatically receive free lunches under a central government scheme.
Earlier this year, the ministers announced that all children whose parents receive Universal Credit would be entitled to free school meals from September 2026.
© The Standard Ltd