School meal costs in Northern Ireland increased in January 2026 for the first time since 2017, adding new pressure to families already struggling with the cost of living. Primary and special school meals rose from £2.60 to £3.10, while post-primary pupils are now facing almost 20% higher costs for food purchased in school canteens. While pupils entitled to free school meals are protected, many children from low-income working families fall outside eligibility and must now find extra money each week.
According to the Education Authority, around 210,000 school meals are eaten every day in Northern Ireland, with roughly 90,000 provided free. This means the majority of families must absorb rising costs at a time when household budgets are already stretched by food, energy and housing pressures.
Child Poverty and Household Food Insecurity
These increases come at a time when child poverty remains high. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports in Northern Ireland, poverty continues to have a significant impact, with estimates suggesting around 24% of children are growing up in poverty. Even modest increases in everyday costs such as school meals can push families further into hardship, particularly those with multiple children or parents in low-paid or insecure work.
The Impact on Children and Families
When families struggle to afford food consistently, children are often the first to feel the effects. Research shows that food insecurity is linked to poorer nutrition, reduced concentration in school and negative impacts on physical and mental health. Parents are frequently forced to make difficult decisions between food, heating and other essentials, increasing stress and instability within the household.
Families who sit just above the threshold for free school meals can be particularly vulnerable, as they receive little support despite facing similar financial pressures to those who qualify.
How FareShare NI Can Help
FareShare NI plays a vital role in supporting children and families facing food insecurity by redistributing surplus food to charities, schools and community organisations across Northern Ireland. Every day, FareShare moves around 2.5 tonnes of food to approximately 172 frontline charities and community groups working directly with people in need.
Reducing Pressure on Household Food Budgets
By supplying surplus food, including fresh produce, nutritious staples and ready-to-use items, FareShare enables its Community Food Members (CFMs) to provide food support without increasing their costs. This helps families stretch limited budgets and reduces the pressure of deciding whether school meals are affordable each week.
Supporting Schools and Community Food Programmes
Many FareShare Community Food Members run breakfast clubs, after-school provision, food banks and holiday meal programmes. These services help ensure children continue to access nutritious food, even when household finances are under strain due to rising school meal costs.
‘FairShare is a life saver for so many children and families in our school. Such a great organisation doing such great work’ – St Kevin’s College
Responding to the Cost of Living Crisis
As inflation and living costs continue to rise, food support has become a critical safety net for many families. By helping frontline organisations stretch resources further, FareShare contributes to stability, dignity and improved wellbeing for children and families during periods of financial stress.
Why Community Support Matters
Rising school meal costs, combined with persistent child poverty, underline the importance of strong community food networks. While surplus food redistribution is not a substitute for long-term policy solutions, it plays an essential role in easing immediate hardship for families who are struggling to make ends meet.
Through its work across Northern Ireland, FareShare helps ensure that good food reaches those who need it most, supporting children’s health, learning and wellbeing when household budgets can no longer stretch any further.
Find out about becoming a Community Food Member.
