Plans to give school caterers flexibility in promoting healthy meals are welcomed

28th January 2011, 8:43am

The School Food Trust has welcomed plans outlined in the Education Bill to give schools and caterers more flexibility in promoting healthy school meals to families.

The bill, published today (27th January) by the Department for Education, sets out proposals that will make it easier for schools to use special pricing offers to encourage more pupils to try a healthy school lunch.

School Food Trust chief executive, Judy Hargadon, said: "This will help schools and caterers to be even more innovative in the way they market healthy school food to parents and pupils, and reflects our own work in schools to test different promotions over the last few years.
 
"The ability to use special price offers – for example as children start reception class or Year 7 – is a proven way of encouraging children to try a balanced meal in their school dining room.
 
"With family budgets so tight at the moment, promotions making school food more affordable for parents on low incomes who don't qualify for free school meals, or for larger families, will also be welcomed."

Related Articles:

• 29 Sep 2010 - Continue the School Food Trust's good work
• 01 Feb 2010 - The School Food Trust appoints new chair
• 21 Nov 2007 - School Food Trust Feasts on training and development

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Kerry Davison

28 January 2011 at 10:00am

This is welcome news to those families that do not qualify for free school meals because their income only just rises above the threshold for entitelment. Familes that have 3 or more children at the same school, are hard pushed to afford all to eat 5 days per week. The cost could be around £1,000 per school year if meals are priced at £2.00 per child. A luxury some may decide they can do without. Any marketing, promotion and support school caterers can receive to assist in increasing take up of healthy school meals, is a very positive move forward in my eyes.

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