Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out on Wednesday whether they're in line to lose their job.
One staffer has told Newshub they have "serious concerns" about the future of the programme if the team's reduced.
But Associate Education Minister David Seymour - who has stressed changes at the ministry are operational decisions - says he's confident the team will still be able to deliver the programme.
The job cuts come as the Government on Tuesday promised to cut red tape to make it easier to open new early childhood education centres.
Seymour was at a centre in Wellington on Tuesday morning, reading to little ones during their storytime.
He's not comfortable with the amount of red tape in the Early Childhood Education sector, where parents are facing long waits to find a place for their kids.
The Government plans to make it easier to set up centres, with new providers not needing to go through Government checks to get approval to set up services. An upcoming requirement for key supervising staff to hold a higher level of certification won't proceed, though the teachers will still have to be qualified.
"We're taking away regulations that add cost without making sense, we are going to leave regulations that make sense," Seymour said.
Simon Laube of the Early Childhood Council said: "We are relieved in the sector, really, really relieved. We are faced with layer after layer of regulation."
Jan Tinetti, Labour's education spokesperson said she was disappointed with the announcement.
"This is simply taking us backwards. Labour had made changes as a Government so that we could make sure that there was equitable, good, quality early learning centres right across the country so that parents could get their kids into a good centre regardless of where they lived."
But while the Government's cutting red tape, it's still cutting jobs.
Newshub has seen an email sent to a member on the school lunches team at the Ministry of Education saying it's proposed their role will be affected by a restructure. The ministry told us full details will be released on Wednesday and wouldn't speculate on the number of positions that could be cut.
But one team member told Newshub they would have "serious concerns" about the future of the programme if staff numbers are reduced, saying small groups providing lunches to schools "need a lot of support".
"They need help," the staff member said.
Tinetti said: "You can't provide that frontline without having the good support that sits on alongside you and behind you."
"In this particular case, the fact that we have a really strong team in the Ministry of Education means our teachers aren't burdened down with having to provide this programme in schools."
Seymour, who's mulling changes to school lunches, says it's an operational decision.
"It's not how many people are required, but what are you delivering and how are you going to do it better and smarter. Yes, I am quite confident we can do it without those particular people."
Sean Teddy, Ministry of Education Hautū (Leader) Operations and Integration, told Newshub staff would be encouraged to provide feedback on the proposals released on Wednesday, including "any risks to delivery of the Ministry's core business and provide alternative options to meet the Government's savings targets".
Teddy said there would be a period of consultation with affected staff and it was "premature to speculate on the number of positions, what those positions are and number of staff affected, as proposals and consultation processes are not yet finalised across the Ministry".
"This is a complex process that requires deep consideration and care. Staff will be kept updated.
"We are working with the Government on delivering its priorities. This includes a commitment to retaining food in schools."
