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| Ban packed lunches, head teachers urged | Ban packed lunches, head teachers urged |
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| Head teachers in England are being urged to ban packed lunches to increase the take-up of school dinners and promote healthy eating. | Head teachers in England are being urged to ban packed lunches to increase the take-up of school dinners and promote healthy eating. |
| A government-commissioned school food review by two founders of the Leon restaurant chain says take-up is low at 43% despite huge quality improvements. | A government-commissioned school food review by two founders of the Leon restaurant chain says take-up is low at 43% despite huge quality improvements. |
| Packed lunches are nearly always less nutritious than a cooked meal, say the authors of the School Food Plan. | Packed lunches are nearly always less nutritious than a cooked meal, say the authors of the School Food Plan. |
| Revised food-based standards are to be tested and introduced from 2014. | Revised food-based standards are to be tested and introduced from 2014. |
| The intention will be to apply them to maintained schools and all new academies and free schools, the Department for Education said. | The intention will be to apply them to maintained schools and all new academies and free schools, the Department for Education said. |
| Head teachers are also being urged to lower the price of lunches to boost take-up. This might include providing subsidised meals for reception classes in primary schools and Year 7 classes in secondary schools, the report says. But it stops short of recommending free school meals for all pupils. | Head teachers are also being urged to lower the price of lunches to boost take-up. This might include providing subsidised meals for reception classes in primary schools and Year 7 classes in secondary schools, the report says. But it stops short of recommending free school meals for all pupils. |
| The government will, however, investigate the case for extending free school meals entitlement. | The government will, however, investigate the case for extending free school meals entitlement. |
| The Department for Education ordered the review by restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent into the state of school meals in 2012 following strong criticism from TV chef Jamie Oliver, who earlier led a successful campaign to ban junk and processed food from school canteens. | The Department for Education ordered the review by restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent into the state of school meals in 2012 following strong criticism from TV chef Jamie Oliver, who earlier led a successful campaign to ban junk and processed food from school canteens. |
| This resulted in tight nutritional guidelines and healthy eating policies in many schools for those bringing packed lunches. | This resulted in tight nutritional guidelines and healthy eating policies in many schools for those bringing packed lunches. |
| But in 2011 he claimed that standards were being eroded because academies and free schools were exempt from national nutritional guidelines. | But in 2011 he claimed that standards were being eroded because academies and free schools were exempt from national nutritional guidelines. |
| Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "What I'd like to see is more children eating school lunches and fewer having packed lunches, and more children feeling healthier and more energetic throughout the day." | Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "What I'd like to see is more children eating school lunches and fewer having packed lunches, and more children feeling healthier and more energetic throughout the day." |
| 'Turkey twizzler' | 'Turkey twizzler' |
| He added that the report would help schools appreciate the importance of high quality and healthy food. | He added that the report would help schools appreciate the importance of high quality and healthy food. |
| Mr Dimbleby told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that school food had improved since the "dark days of the turkey twizzler," but that the proportion of children eating school meals was not high enough. | Mr Dimbleby told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that school food had improved since the "dark days of the turkey twizzler," but that the proportion of children eating school meals was not high enough. |
| He stressed that more than half of children brought packed lunches into schools but that around two-thirds contained crisps or confectionery. | He stressed that more than half of children brought packed lunches into schools but that around two-thirds contained crisps or confectionery. |
| "The best schools, the schools with good food, find ways of making packed lunches the least exciting option," he added. | "The best schools, the schools with good food, find ways of making packed lunches the least exciting option," he added. |
| If packed lunches were banned, schools would be able to provide better meals at a cheaper price, and this would help boost children's performance, he argued. | If packed lunches were banned, schools would be able to provide better meals at a cheaper price, and this would help boost children's performance, he argued. |
| Packed lunches are understood to be banned in just a very small number of schools, but the DfE insists it is possible and that many schools do not realise that. | Packed lunches are understood to be banned in just a very small number of schools, but the DfE insists it is possible and that many schools do not realise that. |
| Mr Dimbleby later told reporters: "I would ban packed lunches if it was my school but I think there are other ways. There's a strong libertarian streak in the English and some head teachers might think that's a battle they don't want to fight." | Mr Dimbleby later told reporters: "I would ban packed lunches if it was my school but I think there are other ways. There's a strong libertarian streak in the English and some head teachers might think that's a battle they don't want to fight." |
| The review suggests that items such as sugary drinks, crisps and confectionery be forbidden from lunch boxes. In reality many schools already have healthy packed lunch policies banning such items. | The review suggests that items such as sugary drinks, crisps and confectionery be forbidden from lunch boxes. In reality many schools already have healthy packed lunch policies banning such items. |
| General secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers Russell Hobby said he felt it probably was not feasible for schools to ban packed lunches. | General secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers Russell Hobby said he felt it probably was not feasible for schools to ban packed lunches. |
| Obesity rates | Obesity rates |
| He thought it was right, instead, to focus on making school meals more attractive in terms of cost and access as well as nutritional content, taste and presentation. | He thought it was right, instead, to focus on making school meals more attractive in terms of cost and access as well as nutritional content, taste and presentation. |
| He added: "It is hard for students to concentrate on learning when they haven't eaten enough or when they've eaten the wrong things. The benefits from investing in decent cooked meals are huge: better learning and better habits later in life; a calm and sociable lunch hall also sets a tone for the rest of the day. | He added: "It is hard for students to concentrate on learning when they haven't eaten enough or when they've eaten the wrong things. The benefits from investing in decent cooked meals are huge: better learning and better habits later in life; a calm and sociable lunch hall also sets a tone for the rest of the day. |
| "In addition, increasing numbers of schools are growing part of their own food, and this can have a big impact on the children." | "In addition, increasing numbers of schools are growing part of their own food, and this can have a big impact on the children." |
| The Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Brian Lightman added: "While encouraging all students to eat a nutritious hot lunch is the right aim, it is not always feasible. Many hardworking families on relatively low incomes give their children packed lunches because they don't qualify for free school meals and the cost of a school dinner would be prohibitive." | The Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Brian Lightman added: "While encouraging all students to eat a nutritious hot lunch is the right aim, it is not always feasible. Many hardworking families on relatively low incomes give their children packed lunches because they don't qualify for free school meals and the cost of a school dinner would be prohibitive." |
| Labour said exempting academies had allowed junk food to "creep back" into schools and it urged the government to enforce food standards across the board. | Labour said exempting academies had allowed junk food to "creep back" into schools and it urged the government to enforce food standards across the board. |
| Shadow children's minister Sharon Hodgson said when the country was in the middle of a childhood obesity crisis, it was important that schools were doing their part to improve diets. | Shadow children's minister Sharon Hodgson said when the country was in the middle of a childhood obesity crisis, it was important that schools were doing their part to improve diets. |
| "Labour vastly improved the quality of school food after Jamie Oliver's important campaign." | "Labour vastly improved the quality of school food after Jamie Oliver's important campaign." |
| She accused David Cameron and Michael Gove of deliberately undermining that progress by exempting academies and free schools from Labour's rules, and claimed that junk food had crept back into canteens and vending machines. | She accused David Cameron and Michael Gove of deliberately undermining that progress by exempting academies and free schools from Labour's rules, and claimed that junk food had crept back into canteens and vending machines. |
| Labour also pointed out that academies and free schools set up between 2010 and Jan 2014 would be under no obligation to sign up to the food standards | Labour also pointed out that academies and free schools set up between 2010 and Jan 2014 would be under no obligation to sign up to the food standards |
| "Parents deserve to have confidence in the quality of school meals. Labour's food standards should apply in all schools, and Michael Gove needs to perform another U-turn to ensure they do," Mrs Hodgson added. | "Parents deserve to have confidence in the quality of school meals. Labour's food standards should apply in all schools, and Michael Gove needs to perform another U-turn to ensure they do," Mrs Hodgson added. |
| Wonderful pies | Wonderful pies |
| Other recommendations include: After-school cooking lessons for parents and children, more schools to have stay-on-site rules for break and lunch time, and for teachers to be encouraged to sit in the dining hall with children. And there is to be a £16m cash injection to boost the take-up of meals. | |
| The report comes as the obesity rate among children at the end of primary school has risen to almost one in five. | The report comes as the obesity rate among children at the end of primary school has risen to almost one in five. |
| Matthew Reed, chief executive of the Children's Society, said all children in poverty should receive a free school meal and urged the government to use its planned consultation on the future of free school meals to make sure no child in poverty misses out. | |
| Linda Cregan, head of the Children's Food Trust, said: "The pledge of funding to give thousands of schools practical help with increasing take up is very welcome, as is investment to create new breakfast clubs in places where children are in greatest need. | |
| "At a time when so many families on low incomes are struggling with the costs of food, we look forward to progress on the commitments to look at extending free school meals to more children and the call for universal free school meals in all primary schools." |