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Healthy school meals are shunned in Leeds
LESS than a third of secondary pupils in Leeds are eating school meals as a government target to promote healthier eating flounders.
Only 30 per cent of secondary and 43.5 per cent of primary pupils in the city are eating school meals, according to a new naitonwide survey by the School Food Trust.
The figures are likely to revive claims that the high profile campaign by TV chef Jamie Oliver, that forced schools to replace junk food with healthier meals, has backfired.
They also mean that the city will almost certainly miss a government target for boosting school meals.
Ministers were hoping that by this autumn 52.3 per cent of primary pupils and 52.7 per cent at secondary level would be eating a hot lunchtime meal. In each case this is a ten per cent rise on three years earlier.
Despite the figures, education bosses today insisted Leeds was winning the battle to improve children's nutritional health.
Chris Edwards, chief executive of Education Leeds, said: "In 2006 we launched our School Meals Strategy – the first of its kind in the country – which has become the template for other councils across the UK.
"Developed with the help of the city's children and young people, it has boosted healthy eating in school and helped to increase the uptake of school meals — our free school meal uptake rose by five per cent in the last year alone.
"We have a successful packed lunch policy – which promotes the same healthy standards for packed lunches as are already in place for school meals – and have trained more than 1,000 catering staff in healthy eating.
"Over 200 schools have made improvements to their dining room environment and we have developed a range of innovative resources to promote healthy schools."
Meanwhile schools minister Diana Johnson insisted the number of pupils opting for a school meal was on the rise - although only by 0.1 per cent in primary schools last year, and 0.5 per cent in secondaries.
Other local education authorities in West Yorkshire also look likely to miss the government's target.
In Kirklees, 48.1 per cent of secondary pupils and 49.7 per of primary pupils are taking up school meals.
In Wakefield, 48.4 per cent of secondary and 50.3 per cent of primary pupils are having them.
The standards that school meals have to meet have got tougher since 2005, when menus were made healthier.
Curbs on junk food sold in vending machines and tuck shops came into force two years ago.
Last year caterers in primaries were ordered to ensure each meal complies with strict limits on 14 nutrients including fat, sugar and salt. Secondary schools will have to do the same from September.
Prue Leith, chairman of the School Food Trust, said: "' I am convinced we are winning the battle for the hearts, minds and tastebuds of children and parents."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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