New Zealand renamed its school lunch program to English-only, citing cost savings and clarity, sparking backlash over cultural concerns.

New Zealand has renamed its free school lunch programme from "Ka Ora Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches" to "Healthy School Lunches," a change approved by Cabinet in October 2025. Associate Minister David Seymour said the shift to an English-only name improves clarity and could save nearly $300 million, refocusing the programme solely on reducing food insecurity's impact on student learning. Critics, including Māori leaders and opposition parties, condemned the move as undermining te reo Māori and Māori cultural recognition, calling it politically motivated and dismissive of bicultural values. The Ministry of Education will now explore broader social investment strategies, including non-school-based interventions, to address food insecurity.