Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s suggestion of a Marmite sandwich and an apple for lunch wouldn’t keep a child full or feed their brain sufficiently, according to local health and education experts.
“If you’re just doing a Marmite sandwich and an apple, you’re probably not meeting the protein requirements [which depend on age and gender],” paediatric dietician Jenny Douglas explained to RNZ.
“Ideally it would be a Marmite and cheese sandwich at least,” she said, noting that the high salt content of Marmite, which could shape one’s palate, giving a child a taste for salty snacks like pies and chips early on.
Almost every food has enough protein per calorie so if you’re worried about protein, that basically means they are not getting enough calories and you can just pack more.