Thomas CoughlanPolitical Editor·NZ Herald·30 Jun, 2026 02:31 AM4 mins to readAssociate Minister of Education David Seymour samples one of the new lunches. Photo / Mark Mitchell Only 50% of the meals delivered by the new school lunch programme in 2025 complied with the Ministry of Education’s nutrition standards, according to a scathing report by the Auditor-General.The parliamentary watchdog also took aim at inaccurate costings for the lunches, safety issues, contingency planning and their rollout.
Damning report finds half of school lunches missed nutrition standards
The Auditor-General has slammed the cuts to the school lunch programme.








