In a proposal presented to Dutch political parties Volt and Democrats 66 (D66), the House of Representatives wants to make €100 million available to start a free lunch initiative at Dutch schools.
Amongst all the bad news lately, it’s nice to hear that something good is underway.
The proposal was met with enthusiasm, as both parties agree that the money for school lunches should be found in the budget, reports RTL Nieuws.
Children shouldn’t go to school hungry
With the major increases in household costs such as electricity and gas prices, alongside the ever-rising inflation in the Netherlands, there will be many families this winter having to cut down.
READ MORE | All gas, no breaks: your Dutch energy bill will stay more expensive than usual
And, unfortunately for some, that will mean having less to spend on necessities such as food.
Er zijn kinderen in Nederland die morgen zonder eten naar school worden gebracht. Met een lege maag in de klas, dat hoort niet.
— Jan Paternotte (@jpaternotte) September 22, 2022
Niks mag de ontwikkeling van kinderen in de weg staan. Daarom ons voorstel (met @DassenLaurens) voor de gratis schoollunch.#APB2022 pic.twitter.com/NwTlhwuaQJ
Parents will have one less thing to worry about and will be assured that their children won’t have to endure the school day while hungry.
Inflation on the rise
As inflation in the Netherlands beats records, reaching a whopping 12% this August, the pressure on wallets has never been tighter.
READ MORE | Rising wages are no match for soaring inflation in the Netherlands
But, the government seems sympathetic towards the struggles of parents. Volt foreman Laurens Dassen says that the proposal for free school lunches is only the beginning; “Because ultimately we want all children to be able to go to school on a full stomach,” she says.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte also maintains that the proposal is ‘sympathetic’.
Finally, some good news for parents and children alike! 🥳
What do you think of the proposal? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Maybe if parents would not buy cell phones for their children, get rid of their idiot tube (TV), and eat meals as a family at home, they could afford to pack a lunch for their kids. As Robert Heinlein, the famous Science Fiction writer made popular, “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”
I am honestly terrified by this proposal. I suspect it will be sandwiches with smeerkaas (full of antibiotics and other unnatural stuff), or chocolate paste (full of sugar). I prefer to give my kid my own food, which I can check against all the pesticides, antibiotics, sugar and other unhealthy and lure shortening substances.
Life shortening – excuse my typo.