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Recent Developments on Schools Meals

School Food Trust

School Food has been a prominent issue ever since Jamie Oliver revealed problems with children’s diets back in 2005.
The School Food Trust opens in a new window was set up as an independent body, supporting and advising schools, local authorities, parents and pupils alike.
The Trust has four main goals:-
  1. To see an increase in the take up of school meals
  2. Ensure all schools meet the standards for both foods served at lunchtime and at all other times during the day
  3. Improve food skills through education and community initiatives
  4. Reduce diet-related inequalities in childhood.
Guidance and promotional material has been distributed to schools with the main aim of promoting healthy eating and removing unhealthy practices.
The introduction of nutritional-based standards and final food-based standards by September 2008 (for primary schools) and September 2009 (for secondary and special schools) will see school food brought up to a healthier level.
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Making Healthier Choices Easier - National Healthy School Status

The Department of Health (DH) has recently published a White Paper called 'Delivering Choosing Health: making healthier choices easier opens in a new window'.
This document highlights how the Department of Health and the National Health Service, within the framework of government policies, will help people make more healthy choices and reduce health inequalities.
Of major interest to all parents will be the priorities on obesity (being excessively overweight) and helping children and young people to lead healthy lives.
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National Healthy School Programme (NHSP)

New guidance was issued by the NHSP to tie in with the more vigorous approach that school now have to meet to satisfy the requirements of National Healthy School status.
The impact of the programme is based on a whole-school approach to physical and emotional well-being focussed on four core themes:
The aims are to deliver real benefits for children and young people, specifically:
For further information visit the National Healthy Schools opens in a new window website.
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Every Child Matters

The Every Child Matters green paper in 2003 idetified five outcomes that are most important to all children and young people.  These are:
These underlie many of the initiatives that are currently in place.  For further information please go to – www.everychildmatters.gov.uk opens in a new window
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Food Standards Agency

The Government’s Food Standards Agency opens in a new window website has plenty of information on many aspects of food including information nutrition, hygiene, labelling and packing.
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Tackling Obesity

Tackling Obesity means a change to healthy diets and healthy lifestyles in the form of activity. Schools will be aware of the Torbay Sports Partnership that involves all 32 Primary and 8 Secondary schools. There are a number of school sport co-ordinators who are based at the secondary schools and each has links with a number of the primary schools. The aim is that through these links will develop opportunities for primary schools to access other sporting activities such as basketball training, ice skating and supporting the delivery of daily physical activity through a training video. For further information please visit the website.
If you are concerned about your childs weight why not visit the Healthy Weight 4 Children opens in a new window website for further information.
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5 A DAY

The NHS Direct produced the 5 A DAY opens in a new window initiative.  Most people are now aware of the importance of eating healthily.  There is one consistent message and that is that eating more fruit and vegetables is essential for good health.
It is recommended that we eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.  The 5 A DAY opens in a new window website provides lots of great advice including Top Tips for Mums to help encourage youngsters to eat more fruit and vegetables.
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Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver has had a lot to do with changing the direction of school meals.  In particular he has brought to the public attention the general trend towards processed foods in recent years and the poor response to fresher foods and fruit and vegetables.  
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Caroline Walker Trust and The National Heart Forum

The Caroline Walker Trust (CWT) was setup in 1876 to improve public health through good food.
It produced its first report in 1992 call Nutritional Guidelines for School Meals which has been widely used as being definitive for nutrient based standards for school meals.
The CWT and the National Heart Forum are dedicated to the provision of advice and guidance to all those that have the ability to influence and promote healthy eating.
For further information please visit Caroline Walker Trust opens in a new window and National Heart Forum opens in a new window websites.
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Related Websites

Contact School Meals Client Officer
Food Safety Team