"Choosing healthy food is not an instinct, but is learned as a child. Society has a responsibility to ensure children have knowledge and skills to choose a healthy diet.
But improving childrens choice goes hand in hand with improving what is on offer. Good food must be there to be chosen. Those responsible for children at school need to ensure access to healthy food and adequate nourishment in an environment that encourages social development"
Imogen Sharp Chair, School Meals Campaign Working Group, Prof. Tim Lang Chair, School Meals Campaign.
Food and Health
There are concerns about long term diet implications of replacing hot primary school dinners with a snack
Hot versus Cold
Government Education boss David Blunkett says school meals are the only hot meal for one in three children. A cold meal could be nutritious, but what about the ‘comfort’ element in winter?
Safety
Parents worry that children will leave school at lunchtime to go to the chippie. Children could be crossing roads unsupervised.
Value for Money
Already there are doubts about the value for money of Friday packed lunches. Those paying for school meals can go elsewhere, but what about families getting free school meals - they have no choice!
Bullying
What supervision will there be for cold meals? They haven’t even worked out who will hand them out! Parents are worried about the safety of children carrying money to buy hot food.
Choice and Learning
Yes, we need a review of meals, but not one that gives no choice. What about the lessons learned sitting together for a meal? Do we really want to teach our children the ‘snacking’ culture?
Jobs
300 dedicated staff will lose their jobs. Staff who are in low paid part time jobs - many of them parents. Is this really the price the council has to pay to stay afloat?
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