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September 6, 2008

Healthy school meal vs a Big Mac. Which one wins? Ask your inner child

Tim Hayward:

England is bringing in 'the most robust nutrient standards for school lunches in the world' - but we might have to force them down children's throats

This week "the most robust nutrient standards for school lunches in the world" come into force in English primary schools. The new menus announced by the schools secretary, Ed Balls, include healthy versions of lunchroom standards - "from traditional roasts to chilli con carne and shepherd's pie; from homemade salmon fingers and stir fries to risotto, with fresh fruit, vegetables and salads".

Junk food is already banned from school canteens and vending machines - but the new standards specify the maximum (fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt) and minimum (carbohydrate, protein, fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, zinc) nutrient value of an average school lunch.

Getting high-quality food into schools is only half the issue. According to Balls, many children who eat healthy lunches at primary school stop when they go to senior school - put off by long queues, unpopular menus or having to eat in the same room as teenagers six or seven years older. The guidelines move into new territory by suggesting kids won't be put off school meals if they are treated "like the paying customers they are".

Posted by Jim Zellmer at September 6, 2008 5:33 AM
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