Taichung's school lunches for elementary and junior high students become free from the new school year, and a large chicken drumstick will be added in the first week of the term. However, catering firms' stocks of cooking oil are running tight — a concern that parents and schools should watch.

• Lunches at Taichung's public and private elementary and junior high schools are free from this school year, at a cost of roughly NT$60 to NT$70 per meal, with a large chicken drumstick added for each student in the first week of term.
• After the city government banned oil products linked to the Chung Lien company, only 8 of the 21 catering firms have enough cooking oil to last a week, with the rest holding only three or four days' worth.
• A city councillor said the one-off extra dish is a kind gesture, but the key is to implement the new menu at every meal so that children actually receive the nutritional standard.
• With lunches now free, cost pressures are rising, and councillors worry that operators will switch to cheaper ingredients, with local pesticide-free and organic produce the first to be cut.
• The Education Bureau said it has raised the issue of oil supply with the central government and is considering writing high-quality local produce and organic rice into tender requirements.

Outlook: In the short term, securing cooking oil supplies is the most pressing hurdle, and whether ingredient quality can be maintained will depend on the city government's forthcoming tender rules and subsidies.