FAQ’S

Where can I find the foil trays?
Some of our coordinators have stock on hand that they give out to anyone willing to collect from them,just ask your local contact .  Otherwise people find them in Kmart, The Warehouse, some supermarkets, it’s best to google”foil trays with lids” and see what comes up for your area.
Alot of us buy in bulk from https://www.savebarn.co.nz/
Can I do baking or make sandwiches for school lunches?
Not at this time sorry. We are focusing on home cooked meals that will help feed the whanau at dinner time. This is not a school lunch program.
We may experiment with some dessert options though.
Is there a need for Vegetarian or DF, GF meals?

Yes absolutely, as long as everything is clearly labelled and easily identified as such. 

Can I just drop my meals off at the school when they are ready?

No, all Kura Kai meal donations MUST be dropped off to a local cordinator, they are the only ones authorized to take our Kai to the schools. Please DO NOT drop meals directly to any of the High Schools.

How often does Kura Kai fill the school freezers?

We aim to fill each school freezer at the beginning of each school term,and then try to offer a top up mid term as well. Our coordinators are happy to accept meal donations anytime, as we work on building stocks in our freezers so we are set to go each term.

What if I can only find the foil trays with no lids?

Sorry we only accept meals packaged correctly and as per our guidelines. Please find the trays with the thick cardboard lids.

Can I print my labels out on my computer and stick them to the meals?

Yes you absolutely can. Many of our cooks do this, just ensure all required information is on your label.

Can I take my cooking to the coordinator in plastic containers?

No sorry- they need to be packaged and labelled fully and as per guidelines.

How often do I need to cook?

Whenever and as often as you can and as you feel like. There is no minimum requirement or expectation. There are also no set weeks that we ask people to cook. Just keep in mind that at the start of each school term our coordinators will be on a massive drive to fill ALL our freezers and will need a lot of meals. 

Are there preferred recipes I should be using?

We do have a list of recommended meals in the volunteer guidelines that we suggest you follow for ideas. However if you have a suitable specialty and it freezes, and reheats well, then go for it. As long as it packs well in the foil trays we use also.

I don't have much freezer space, what can I do with all the meals i've made?

Reach out to your local coordinator as soon as you can and arrange for the meals to be dropped to them- as they all have large freezer space to store meal donations.

Can Kura Kai come to my local High School?

We will consider going into any High School that needs our support. As long as we have the funds to purchase the freezer and also more importantly we need to ensure we have the local support from volunteers that are willing and able to cook and donate meals regularly.

I know a great Primary School or Kohanga that would benefit from having Kura Kai in there.
As much as we would love to help every school that is suggested to us it’s unfortunately impossible to do so. So to help manage our workload and commitments we stick to our Kaupapa of High Schools only. We believe in kai being a big factor in ensuring our rangatahi (young people) stay in school and completing their education.