Schools to cut down on sugary puddings and deep fried foods in major meals overhaul

Schools to cut down on sugary puddings and deep fried foods in major meals overhaul Around one in three children are overweight or obese when they leave primary school, and tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions among children aged five to nine Schools will be ordered to cut down on sugary puddings and deep fried foods in the first overhaul of meal standards for more than a decade. Desserts must contain or be served with fruit as part of the sweeping shake-up designed to tackle worrying levels of childhood obesity and tooth decay. Around one in three children are overweight or obese when they leave primary school, and tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions among children aged five to nine. Under the plans, sugary drinks and foods such as ice cream and waffles will also be restricted, and deep-fried foods cut from menus. Foods high in fat and salt such as pizzas and sausages will also have to be scaled back. More fibrous wholegrains and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas will be required and a portion of vegetables or salad should accompany, or be included in every main meal. It comes as all pupils in England from families on universal credit are now eligible for free school meals, after a campaign by The Mirror to ensure kids get a nutritious meal to stop them being too hungry to learn. Chef Jamie Oliver, a long-time campaigner on school dinners, said it was a "brilliant day". He said: “Back 20+ years ago when I started School Dinners I could not believe that we had standards for dog food but not what we serve our children at school! And I’ve never stopped banging that drum." He added: "It’s brilliant to see new School Food Standards based on the latest science, to make sure the food children get at school is actually supporting their health and helping them thrive. And, that those standards won’t just live on paper, but have proper monitoring to make sure they’re followed, so we know where we need to deploy care, love and support.” Actor Dame Emma Thompson, a Food Foundation Celebrity Ambassador, said: "Every child deserves access to healthy, nutritious food at school. Good food helps children learn, grow and flourish, and these new standards have the power to make a real difference to children across the country. “This is a milestone worth celebrating and an investment in a healthier future for the next generation." Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, said: "These are once-in-a-generation changes that will transform school food for children across the country. “From our historic expansion of free school meals to the rollout of free breakfast clubs and new school food standards, we are making sure that every child has access to the healthy meals we know children need to learn, grow and succeed. “No child should spend the school day hungry, and no family should have to struggle to put food on the table. This is what change looks like: healthier food, fuller stomachs and a fairer start for every child." But union leaders warned schools will need additional funding to help them comply with the new standards. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The current funding rate for free school meals is not enough to cover costs and many schools have to divert money from teaching and learning in order to afford this vital provision. It is a case of having to rob Peter to pay Paul.” Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “If the government is serious about them working in practice it must provide significant additional funding to reflect the real costs of school meals, which these new requirements are likely to increase. Many schools already have to raid stretched core budgets for staffing and the curriculum to subsidise the costs.” School will be expected to publish their menus and food policies online, and to nominate a school food governor to scrutinise the meals on offer. The standards will come into effect next September, with secondary schools given until September 2028 to make some of the changes.