Rise in numbers of pupils eating school lunch

More pupils are eating school lunches, according to figures released by the School Food Trust.

More pupils are eating school lunches, according to figures released by the School Food Trust.
Just last week Health Secretary Andrew Lansley had criticised chef Jamie Oliver’s campaign to improve the quality of school meals and had claimed fewer pupils were eating a school lunch.
But new statistics show the number of pupils eating healthy food at school has seen the biggest year-on-year percentage point increase since the height of the school meals revolution.
The proportion of children eating school lunches in primary schools rose from 39.3% in 2008-9 to 41.4% in 2009-10. 
Secondary schools saw a 0.8% rise from 35% in 2008-9 to 35.8% in 2009-10.
Rob Rees, chair of the School Food Trust, said: ”The number of children eating school meals had been on a downward spiral for many years when Jamie Oliver brought the issue into the nation’s living room, leading to even more children and parents turning their backs on canteens.  Now, following the introduction of national standards for meals and the hard work to improve the dining room experience for children, this is being reversed – disproving the myth that children simply don’t want to eat healthy food.
”However, the number of children eating school meals is still in the minority so the School Food Trust, schools, caterers, local authorities and cooks still have a huge amount to do before we can say the school meals revolution is complete. 
”That’s why our work continues to help schools, local authorities, cooks and caterers right across the country find solutions that work for them to create sustainable school food services for the future.”
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley had called Jamie Oliver’s campaign ‘counterproductive’ because it was ”constantly lecturing people’.

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