The software that lets any local caterer join the Hot School Meals Programme
Freastar Meals gives local catering companies everything they need to participate in Ireland’s Hot School Meals Programme — parent ordering, allergen tracking, nutrition visibility, kitchen production, accurate uptake data and audit-ready reporting for Department of Social Protection claims.
We build the system. You focus on feeding kids great meals.
Powering local caterers in Ireland’s Hot School Meals Programme
Ireland’s Hot School Meals Programme — funded by the Department of Social Protection — now reaches hundreds of thousands of primary pupils and is expanding further. For local catering companies, the opportunity is real, but so are the operational demands: nutritional standards, allergen management, portion-size rules, accurate uptake data and auditable claim reporting. Spreadsheets and phone calls can’t keep up.
Freastar Meals is the software that closes the gap. It gives any local caterer the digital infrastructure needed to join the scheme and run it with full transparency — so you can focus on cooking great food for local kids while the platform handles the paperwork.
Participate in the scheme
Everything a local catering company needs to join the Hot School Meals Programme — schools, menus, parent ordering and daily operations in one place.
Audit-ready reporting
Accurate uptake and claim data for the Department of Social Protection — aligned with recent calls from the Comptroller and Auditor General for better verification of claims.
Nutrition and standards
Menu, portion-size and nutritional-standards visibility so your service meets the quality bar expected under the scheme’s evolving guidelines.
Allergen safety
Clear allergen tracking from parent ordering through to meal labels and QR lookup — so the right child always gets the right meal.
Less waste
Accurate daily ordering and absence handling reduce the food waste that recent reviews flagged across the scheme.
Local caterers, local schools
Designed to help local caterers serve local schools with fresh daily meals — the model the programme is built on.
Built for local school catering
Freastar Meals is not a catering company. It is the software platform that helps caterers, schools and parents manage school meals more clearly. The goal is to make it easier for local caterers to provide high-quality lunches to local schools, with the digital tools needed for ordering, allergens, labels, absences, reporting and invoicing.
Making school meals work for everyone
Parents get convenience & no cost
Order easily on any device, see exactly what their kids are eating, manage allergies safely - without having to pay for anything.
- Order from phone, tablet, or computer
- Clear allergen and nutritional information
- No payment required - meals are covered
- Get notifications about orders and changes
Schools get fresh local meals
Enable local caterers to provide fresh daily meals instead of packaged meals from distant suppliers. Self-managed schools also get full admin access.
- Fresh meals from local caterers daily
- No more packaged meals from distant suppliers
- Self-managed schools get full admin tools
- Better quality food for students
Caterers get complete admin control
Full suite of admin tools including printing, configuration changes, reporting, and everything needed to run professional operations.
- Complete admin tools and configuration
- Kitchen summaries and meal label printing
- Order management and reporting systems
- Professional digital presence and tools
Main Features
Parent Ordering
Simple, mobile-friendly ordering interface for busy parents
Child Profiles
Individual profiles with dietary requirements and preferences
Allergy Tracking
Comprehensive allergen management with clear visibility
Meal Rules by School
Flexible rules and restrictions configured per school account
Menu Assignment
Easy menu scheduling and assignment by day and school
Kitchen Summaries
Clear daily preparation summaries for kitchen staff
Printable Meal Labels
Professional meal labels with allergen and dietary information
QR Code Lookup
Quick access to meal and allergen details via QR codes
Absence Tracking
Handle absences and last-minute changes efficiently
Invoicing & Reporting
Automated invoicing and comprehensive reporting tools
Account Management
Manage multiple catering companies and school accounts
Progressive Web App
Installable web app that works across all devices
How it works
Create schools and accounts
Set up your catering company account and add the schools you serve
Add menus and meal rules
Upload your menus with allergen information and set ordering rules for each school
Parents select meals
Parents and children use the simple ordering interface to select their daily meals
Generate summaries and labels
Caterers access daily kitchen summaries and print meal labels with allergen information
Reports and invoices
Automated reporting and invoicing keeps everyone informed and payments on track
Operational Benefits
Less admin
Reduce time spent on spreadsheets, phone calls, and manual order processing.
Clearer reporting
Get real-time visibility into orders, dietary requirements, and financial summaries.
Better allergen visibility
Clear allergen tracking from ordering through to meal labelling and QR lookup.
Flexible rules per school
Configure different ordering rules, menus, and requirements for each school you serve.
Supports absences and changes
Handle last-minute changes and absences without disrupting your kitchen workflow.
Helps with daily preparation
Kitchen summaries and meal labels streamline your daily food preparation process.
Ready to modernise your school meal service?
See how Freastar Meals can help your catering business serve local schools more efficiently with professional digital tools.
Request a demo