Useful links:
Council News | Council Press Releases | sQuid schemes - Council

eMoney News

News in-depth: Schools 'under threat' from unhealthy snacks again
30 Nov 2011

School pupils could be under threat from unhealthy snacks and meals again because standards recently put in place are slipping.

This is the claim of the Local Authority Catering Association (LACA), which told BBC News lots of its meal providers are getting requests from fatty foods and sweets.

It is thought some could be from academy institutions, which are not bound by the same rules as government-run schools, while others could be from parents and pupils.

"They have been approached by academies to relax the rules and as providers to hundreds of thousands of schools we are concerned. They are being asked to put confectionery and other snacks back, especially at mid-morning. It is the return of the sausage roll to schools," said an LACA spokesperson.

It could lead to the reappearance of confectionery and fizzy drinks, they warned.

The government has insisted that schools will still be obliged to serve up nutritious foods to their pupils.

It has asked the School Food Trust to look into the situation and investigate whether academies are sticking to nutrition guidelines.

This comes in the same week that celebrity chef Jamie Oliver called upon the government to make it a legal requirement for the new academy schools to adhere to national standards for healthy meals.

He claimed that education secretary Michael Gove is "eroding" previous legislation that has been trying to battle the rising tide of obesity.

"The bit of work that we did which is law was a good bit of work for any government," Oliver commented.

It was back in 2005 when the chef made his TV programme Jamie's School Dinners to highlight the poor quality of food being served up in schools around the country.

The result was a raft of products - including the infamous Turkey Twizzlers - being removed from menus and a greater emphasis on serving up quality produce.

Given that 25 per cent of young people are overweight, it is likely that the government is keen for this focus on quality to continue.