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Chips down as school term starts School menus get healthy revamp
(about 3 hours later)
Pupils in England are being presented with healthier choices on the school dinner menu and in vending machines.Pupils in England are being presented with healthier choices on the school dinner menu and in vending machines.
The Department for Education and Skills' guidelines, which rule out "economy" sausages and burgers, come in to force as the school year starts.The Department for Education and Skills' guidelines, which rule out "economy" sausages and burgers, come in to force as the school year starts.
Fruit and vegetables, water and more oily fish are all being encouraged. Crisps and sweets are frowned on. Fruit and vegetables, water and more oily fish are all being encouraged, while crisps and sweets are banned.
The standards are aimed at not only improving pupils' health but also their behaviour and concentration.The standards are aimed at not only improving pupils' health but also their behaviour and concentration.
The guidelines are based on recommendations by the School Meal Review Panel and follow a campaign by TV chef Jamie Oliver to improve the quality of school dinners.The guidelines are based on recommendations by the School Meal Review Panel and follow a campaign by TV chef Jamie Oliver to improve the quality of school dinners.
The sale of sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps is being banned and water and fresh fruit should be available.
Other key measures include:Other key measures include:
  • Not less than two servings per day of fruit and vegetables
  • Oily fish should be served at least once every three weeks
  • Bread should be available every day
  • Free, fresh drinking water should be available
  • Salt should not be available at lunch and ketchup and mayonnaise should only be available in sachets
  • No more than two portions of deep-fried foods in a single week
  • Manufactured meat products such as chicken nuggets may only be served occasionally and only providing they meet minimum standards for meat content
  • The only savoury snacks available at lunchtime should be nuts and seeds with no added salt, fat or sugar.
  • Not less than two servings per day of fruit and vegetables
  • Oily fish should be served at least once every three weeks
  • Bread should be available every day
  • Free, fresh drinking water should be available
  • Salt should not be available at lunch and ketchup and mayonnaise should only be available in sachets
  • No more than two portions of deep-fried foods in a single week
  • Manufactured meat products such as chicken nuggets may only be served occasionally and only providing they meet minimum standards for meat content
  • The only savoury snacks available at lunchtime should be nuts and seeds with no added salt, fat or sugar.
    The School Food Trust was set up in 2005 with £15m of funding from the DfES to promote the education and health of children and young people by improving the quality of food supplied and consumed in schools. The government is also spending an extra £240m on subsidising ingredients, re-training staff and improving kitchens.
    A spokesman said: "First, if you have healthier food you have healthier pupils. The School Food Trust was set up in 2005 with £15m of funding from the DfES to promote the education and health of children and young people by improving the quality of food in schools.
    "Second we think there's going to be a marked improvement in behaviour and third we think there's also going to be a marked improvement in attainment." Prohibition on products from snack machines is not really going to make any slightest difference in the size of children Jan PodsiadlyAutomatic Vending Association
    Chip shop The number of obese or overweight children in Britain aged between two and 15 has risen to about 30% in recent years.
    There are some concerns that the cost of meals will increase and that cutting back favourite foods will mean more pupils bringing in their own food. Trust chief executive Judy Hargadon said children who had a "better" diet reaped health and social benefits.
    The School Food Trust spokesman added: "We are offering advice and support to people who are making packed lunches but as to whether pupils will be going to the local chip shop we are just not sure that is going to happen." "We know that if children eat better, they do better.
    "Lots of schools tell us that when they change the school lunches they get calmer children during the day."
    There are some concerns that the cost of meals will increase and that cutting back favourite foods at school will mean more pupils bringing in their own, less healthy food.
    A Soil Association report suggests spending on ingredients by primary schools has increased from an average of 47p per pupil per day in 2005 to 51p this year.A Soil Association report suggests spending on ingredients by primary schools has increased from an average of 47p per pupil per day in 2005 to 51p this year.
    Extra funding
    But some are still spending as little as 41p per child per meal, according to its survey of 74 local authorities in England.But some are still spending as little as 41p per child per meal, according to its survey of 74 local authorities in England.
    Simon Warr, head of drama at the Royal Hospital School in Ipswich, told BBC News parents should teach children how to cook leaving the curriculum free for other subjects. The Automatic Vending Association said the new guidelines were misguided.
    "Many of our industrial competitors are churning out science graduates who are at least bi-lingual, often multi-lingual, if you look at places like China and Russia," he said. "Prohibition on products from snack machines is not really going to make any slightest difference in the size of children," Jan Podsiadly said.
    "Do we really want to compete with them, or are we more concerned with introducing things like cookery onto the curriculum?" "Really the problem is that the take-up of school lunches is so poor and likely to decrease because of the increase in cost.
    Obesity "So the School Food Trust is trying to ring-fence the food around the school lunches and make sure there's nothing else available."
    The number of obese or overweight children in Britain aged between two and 15 has risen to about 30% in recent years. Compass, a catering company which supplies nearly 2,000 schools, colleges and universities welcomed the extra cash.
    Meanwhile, poor diet accounts for around a third of deaths from cancer and heart disease. UK chief executive Ian el Mokadem said: "Extra funding is key. One of the problems was that if you're trying to cook a good meal in a primary school for 37p that's pretty tough," he said.
    HAVE YOUR SAY Learning to eat a healthy diet is as important as any subject Sarah, West Yorks Send us your comments
    "Thanks to the extra money that's more like 50-plus pence in primary and a lot more than that in secondary."
    The Scottish Executive is also planning to ban junk food from schools and to create a law encouraging more pupils to eat school meals.The Scottish Executive is also planning to ban junk food from schools and to create a law encouraging more pupils to eat school meals.
    In Wales, a working group on nutritional standards published a report calling for junk food to be restricted on school menus.In Wales, a working group on nutritional standards published a report calling for junk food to be restricted on school menus.
    The report, Appetite for Life, recommends a ban on the sale of sweets and crisps and an increase in healthy food on the menu.The report, Appetite for Life, recommends a ban on the sale of sweets and crisps and an increase in healthy food on the menu.
    A Welsh assembly government spokeswoman said it would use its powers "to take junk food out of our schools".
    Northern Ireland's education department has put out proposals for public consultation.Northern Ireland's education department has put out proposals for public consultation.