Pupils offered jacket potatoes five times a week with side of chips or mash

Parents say their children are being fed potatoes five days a week after a school was forced to cut back its menu due to staff shortages.

Pupils at Richmond Primary School in Hinckley, Leicestershire, were offered a jacket potato every day this week, often with a side of chips, wedges or mash.

Caterers have apologised and say the limited menu is only temporary as they deal with staff shortages.

One parent said: The options, which used to be ‘varied and fairly interesting’, are now just potatoes with potatoes.

She told LeicestershireLive: ‘It’s gone from being a varied, fairly interesting menu to being pretty much constant potatoes.

‘I understand that everyone is dealing with staff shortages, but why does that mean that our kids now have to exist on a diet of potatoes cooked in different ways?

Leicestershire County Council said the decision to simplify the menu had not ‘been taken lightly’ and the new options had been developed to ensure heathy, nutritious hot meals continue to be available.

A spokesperson said: ‘We are doing everything we can to support schools as we experience shortages in staff. We would like to stress that this a temporary measure and we will reinstate the full choice menu as soon as is possible.