An extra 320,000 pupils were eating in school canteens last year, according to the latest figures.
As the new term starts, we take a look at the more nutritious options on the menu and have some great tips for healthy packed lunches, too.
Turkey twizzlers and chips with everything have been consigned to the bin, largely thanks to Jamie Oliver. The ever-present TV chef launched his School Dinners campaign back in 2005 and, five years on, the impact of this and other healthy-eating initiatives is visible in canteens across the country.
Following the creation of the School Food Trust in 2006, legislation was introduced in England (with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland following suit) setting out nutritional standards for primary and secondary pupils. There are now clear guidelines for caterers about which foods to include and what to avoid.
“It was clear that the food children were eating in school was too high in fat, sugar and salt,” explains Dr Michael Nelson at the School Food Trust.
Better brain food
The new regulations state that oily fish (a great source of omega 3) should be served once a week, for example, while sweets and crisps are banned, and deep-fried food is limited to no more than twice a week. Access to fresh drinking water is a must, whereas condiments such as salt and ketchup are restricted.
The canteen experience has improved steadily over recent years, as Dr Nelson is pleased to point out. “The average school meal now contains over two portions of fruit and vegetables — and is lower in fat, sugar and salt. The legislation also limits the number of times different types of meat, such as sausages, can be served,” he adds.
Children’s choice
Winning pupils over to the new, healthier menus is a further challenge. Dulwich Hamlet Junior School in south London now serves 260 meals a day, up from 100.
“We talked to the children via the school council and found out what they wanted,” says Sonia Case, the school’s head. “Now we have a four-week rotating menu of meals they like, plus the first thing they encounter at lunch is a salad bar. Meals that are popular are ‘all-in-one’ meals, so Chinese stir-fry noodles and chili con carne, rather than the traditional meat and two veg.”
Packing a nutritious punch
Recent research has found that only one per cent of packed lunches would meet the nutritional standards set for school caterers. If your child brings food from home, check that their lunch ticks the right boxes:
Yes
• a portion each of fruit and veg
• a dairy food (e.g. yoghurt, fromage frais or cheese)
• a starchy food (e.g. pasta, bread or rice)
• a non-dairy protein (e.g. fish, chicken or hummus).
No
• crisps (try nuts, seeds or savoury crackers instead)
• chocolate bars and sweets (a biscuit or slice of cake is OK, but only as part of a balanced packed lunch)
•fizzy or artificially sweetened drinks (water is best, or juice).
Top tip! Add some 5-a-day goodness with carrot sticks or cucumber.
This article first appeared in issue 12 of benhealth, the magazine for Benenden Healthcare members.
