Procurement and delivery of food at holiday provision clubs

Abstract

While school food initiatives across England sup­port children’s nutritional intake during school term time, there is no universal state provision dur­ing the school holidays to reduce the risk of chil­dren experiencing food insecurity. In the absence of a national program of holiday provision, com­munity organizations in disadvantaged com­muni­ties have established holiday clubs offering free food and activities to children. This paper exam­ines how these holiday clubs source food and the challenges of procuring food and delivering healthy meals that adhere to UK School Food Standards. Results indicate that holiday clubs adopt a variety of procurement strategies including rely­ing upon donated food. While club leaders have sought opportunities to source food cost-effectively, the findings suggest significant chal­lenges for these clubs to achieve their aim of delivering healthy meals. Findings point to needs for sustainable funding and the developing healthy food procure­ment policies and processes that align with a wider food strategy.