The Green Party of New Zealand has pledged to restore and expand the Ka Ora, Ka Ako free school lunches programme [1].
The proposal aims to address child nutrition and equity by ensuring more students have access to daily meals during the school day [2].
As part of its policy for the 2026 general election campaign, the party said it would reinstate the previous program and expand its reach to an additional 400 schools [1]. This expansion is intended to provide a daily lunch to an estimated 150,000 additional children [2].
The Green Party said the move is necessary to improve nutrition for students across New Zealand schools [2]. By increasing the number of participating institutions, the party seeks to eliminate barriers to learning caused by food insecurity.
The Ka Ora, Ka Ako initiative previously provided healthy meals to students to support their wellbeing, and academic performance. The Green Party's current plan seeks to return to that model while increasing the scale of the operation [1].
“The Green Party of New Zealand has pledged to restore and expand the Ka Ora, Ka Ako free school lunches programme”
The Green Party is positioning food security as a central pillar of its 2026 election platform. By proposing to expand the Ka Ora, Ka Ako program, the party is challenging current government spending priorities and framing child nutrition as a fundamental requirement for educational equity in New Zealand.
