The Healthy School Lunches programme is a universal programme that provides all taiohi (young people) at Thames High School with a nutritious lunch every day at no cost to parents or caregivers.
We hope that the uptake for free lunches is 100%. The lunch programme has made a positive difference to our taiohi and their families. Although the programme in 2025 differs to that in 2024, we are fortunate that we can still offer free nutritious food to our taiohi.
We’re aware that families may prepare nutritious lunches for their children, and we anticipate this will continue. Nonetheless, we aspire for the programme to benefit everyone and alleviate the necessity and cost associated with supplying lunches.
The new Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches Programme begins Term 1, 2025.
We are excited to be able to continue to offer a meal each day to all students, through The School Lunch Collective.
For more information go to the Ka Ora, Ka Ako website.
The new programme will start from Day 1 of Term 1. A meal and snack will be provided to all students at Thames High School. The indicative menu can be found below. The School Lunch Collective will continue to publish their menus through their communication channels.
This is a summary of the lunch programme:
- Food will be delivered hot/fresh DAILY in time for lunch, served in sealed containers. Meal provision will include a snack.
- Meals are provided by Libelle who are operating 26 kitchens and distribution centres across New Zealand. The closest to us is in Waihi.
- Containers will be collected each day and food scraps will be composted or offered to a local farmer for animal food.
- The menu is based on a 3-week rotation and will allow for dietary requirements / restrictions. These have all been uploaded into a portal which Thames High School will maintain, based on the information shared with us.
- If you choose to opt out of the programme or you have dietary requirements please contact our Student Support Office (studentsupport@thameshigh.school.nz), so we can update our database. A survey has been sent out to request this information.
- To be eligible for the school lunch programme, we have to promote the uptake of the lunches. This includes not offering an alternative feed service and encouraging all students to partake.
Other information:
- EOTC / trips – will meals be provided for camps/sports? We are unsure how this will work. It is possible that those who are on trips need to provide their own packed lunch.
- Snacks and drinks at school. The provision of drinks and health snacks may be offered via vending machines, as we cannot economically sustain a canteen service as we cannot offer meal alternatives to the school lunches programme.
- Who will manage the distribution of meals each day? In short, “the school”. There will be someone to manage this, either through current staffing or additional funding by the programme; these details have not been confirmed.
We look forward to being able to continue this opportunity in 2025.
Any food supplied adheres to the standards of healthy guidelines (a green, amber and red light system) as part of our commitment to the healthy lunches programme.
