School Meals

Children have the option of a hot school meal or a packed lunch. School meals are cooked at St Martin of Shouldham Primary School and transported in insulated containers to the school.  Menus are distributed to parents from the school office, and meals needs to be booked at least a week in advance.  Menu choices need to be selected on MCAS by the Monday of the previous week. The cost of school meals are: £2.75 per day. Payment will be requested at the time of booking 

Preschool children can book a school meal via MCAS App. 

Reception, Y1 & Y2 are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal, lunch choices need to booked online via MCAS app.

Children can bring their own packed lunch if preferable, we encourage the children to think about what they bring in their packed lunch and ensure these are part of a healthy balanced diet; sweets/chocolate bars, fizzy drinks are discouraged. 

The children are supervised in the dining hall and afterwards on the playing field or playground by members of staff.   

We encourage the children to bring to school a drink in a water bottle, this should be squash, water or flavoured water only.   

We do provide fruit for the children; they can bring a healthy alternative for snack if they wish to.

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Criteria For Free School Meals

You may qualify for free school meals (FSM) and other help if you receive certain benefits or support. You must apply for free school meals.

From September 2026, there are two types of entitlement:

  • Targeted: you receive Universal Credit and earn under £7,400 a year or another qualifying benefit: your children are entitled to FSM and extra support for their school
  • Expanded: you receive Universal Credit and earn above £7,400: your children are entitled to FSM only

The qualifying benefits are:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of Pension Credit

Families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) may also be eligible.

Read more about the changes from September 2026: Understand Free school meals eligibility changes from September 2026 (PDF, 154 KB)

All pupils in Reception, year 1 and year 2 are entitled to a free school meal under the government’s Universal Infant Free School Meal scheme.

Packed Lunches

Parents should encourage their children to eat a healthy packed lunch.

Fizzy drinks, sweets, crisps, chewing gum and chocolate are not permitted.

Lunch boxes should be clearly labelled with the child’s name.

Snacks and Water

As a healthy mid-morning snack, we provide all children with a piece of fruit, they may also bring their own healthy snack. 

Children are encouraged to drink throughout the day and may bring water or diluted squash.

Drinking water is available on tap in every classroom.

It is recommended that every child brings in an individual, labelled water bottle.