Hot School Meals: there is no form for parents, and that is the problem

The School Meals Scheme funds schools to feed children, and from 2025 every DEIS and non-DEIS primary school is eligible for hot meals. The catch is not eligibility. It is that schools need to apply each year for funding, and parents have no way to apply at all — so whether your child gets a hot dinner depends on whether the school filled in a form.

Who can get it

From 2025, all DEIS and non-DEIS primary schools are eligible for hot meals. Post-primary schools cannot apply for hot meals, but they can get other food options under the same scheme.

Schools supplying school meals need to apply each year for funding. That single sentence is the whole story: the scheme is not means tested and there is nothing for a parent to fill in, so the only question that matters is whether your school applied.

What the food has to be

Schools and local authorities must make sure the food they supply meets nutrition standards developed with Safefood and the HSE. The scheme can cover breakfast, lunch or after-school meals, dinner, snacks and drinks.

Tell the school about any allergies — suppliers provide schools with menus suitable for children with allergies, but only if the school knows.

Meals in the summer

In 2026 eligible schools can provide meals for children attending a Summer Programme, under a holiday hunger pilot project. Ask your school whether it is taking part.

Common questions

This guide is general information, not financial advice. Rules, rates and eligibility change and differ by country — always confirm the current details with the relevant official body before you act.

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