'I lost all my money on packed lunches': Dinner lady backs call for free school meals

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Michaela Thomas, 30, who works at Mayfield School in Redbridge, east London, said her 11-year-old daughter was no longer eligible for free lunches after increasing the length of her working day last September

Kitchen assistant Michaela Thomas supports the Mirror's free school meals campaign (

Image: Reach Commissioned/Steve Bainbridge

A restaurant lady who lost her daughter's free school meals after working 90 minutes longer every day said she was no better off because of the cost of packed lunches.

Michaela Thomas, 30, who works at Mayfield School in Redbridge, east London, said her 11-year-old daughter was no longer entitled to free lunches after increasing the length of her working day last September.

Her monthly salary has risen from just under £700 to £1,050, helping her pass the threshold for free school meals for her daughter, who was in year six.

Strict eligibility rules mean that children from year 3 onwards are no longer eligible for free meals, unless their families have certain benefits.

"I should have stuck to my hours because I'm paying the same amount anyway. I'm no better at all if I'm being honest," Michaela said.

Children in year 3 and above are only eligible for free school meals if their household has certain benefits (

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"When I got it (the extra pay), I thought, 'Yeah, that's going to be great.' Now I've lost all my money on the packed lunches."

Michaela said her grocery bills have gone up, limiting what she can buy to feed her family.

She also described seeing children come into the canteen who were hungry and didn't have enough money for lunch.

“Over the past few years, the number of free school meals has increased,” she said. "With the economy we're in, we should be able to allow them to have food."

Why every child deserves a free school meal

The country's children should not be the victims of the cost of living crisis.

They shouldn't have to pay the price because their parents can't afford to put food on the table or heat the family home.

But right now, there are nearly four million children...