More kids are eating school lunches, according to national figures

8th July 2010, 10:31am

The number of children eating school lunches in England has seen a significant rise, according to national figures released this morning.

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 annual survey of school lunch take up for the 2009-10 year, carried out by the School Food Trust and the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA), shows that take up of healthy school lunches has increased in both primary and secondary schools.

The official statistics show that, in primary schools, the proportion of children eating a school lunch rose from 39.3% in 2008-09 to 41.4%in 2009-10, a 2.1 percentage point increase. Secondary schools saw a 0.8 percentage point rise from 35% in 2008-09 to 35.8% in 2009-10.
 
It means that an extra 320,980 pupils are now eating a healthy lunch every day at school, compared with the 2008-09 year.

The School Food Trust's Chair, Rob Rees, 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. 
 
Beverley Baker, LACA Chair, added: "This is a remarkable achievement by everyone involved in the provision of school food.  However, the figures show that although more children are having a school meal every day than last year, this is still less than half of the school population.  

"In order to maintain take up, or increase further the number of children and young people having a school meal, it is essential that we continue to give maximum support to the service so that we can sustain quality and ensure that prices remain affordable for parents.
 
"In a time of economic uncertainty and tightening of belts, it is even more important for children and young people to have school meals.  At a time when discretionary spending for parents is under pressure, school meals represent better value for money than a packed lunch when you consider the higher nutritional content and greater contribution they can make to children's diets and lifestyles as well as academic and physical achievement."

For more information visit  http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/school-cooks-caterers/reports/statistical-release-take-up-of-school-lunches-in-england-2009-2010

Related Articles:

• 14 Dec 2010 - New scheme to make free school lunches more available in Leeds launches today
• 08 Jul 2010 - Family and friends have more influence on diet than the government, online healthy living survey reveals
• 25 Jun 2010 - Ofsted says schools making progress on healthy eating
• 21 Jun 2010 - Redbridge School wins £5,000 for healthy meals
• 18 Jun 2010 - School meals for £1 in Derbyshire
• 09 Jun 2010 - Free school dinners 'bombshell'

Click here to submit a comment!

Have your say!

To comment on this article, simply enter your name and email and send us your views. Please note that your comment will appear publicly below this article once it has been processed. For enquiries please email info@costsectorcatering.co.uk.