| School dinners have gone from a national joke | | | | undermining what Jamie Oliver and the Prime |
| to top of the political agenda, all because | | | | Minister is trying to do, at school they have |
| this year celebrity chef Jamie Olivers TV | | | | to wear a uniform and conform to certain |
| programme caused uproar over the quality of | | | | rules, why cant this include eating green and |
| school dinners, the programme followed the | | | | healthy food? When they get home they can |
| chef and father of two small children as he | | | | then wear and eat what they want. Its not |
| tried to change menus for pupils in | | | | going to kill them to eat 5 healthy meals per |
| Greenwich, south-east London. | | | | week is it? Wake up!!! This also reminds me |
| | | | of Ian Wrights (famous ex Arsenal football |
| Jamie Olivers campaign to improve school | | | | player in the UK) recent TV programme about |
| dinners has galvanized politicians and | | | | unhealthy kids, he tried his hardest to |
| parents alike. Even the Prime Minister has | | | | engage them in exercise to reduce their |
| got involved saying that If changes are made | | | | obesity levels and when he was struggling he |
| it will only be a matter of months before | | | | asked their parents to lead by |
| British health, education and farming could | | | | example…..many of them refused! |
| be affected for the better. It could be one | | | | |
| of the biggest food revolutions that England | | | | Back to healthy meals again…the Soil |
| has ever seen. What is now needed is real | | | | Association is encouraging the use of organic |
| commitment to this change and the funds from | | | | and local produce in school meals by running |
| central government to back it up. | | | | a Food for Life workshop at interested |
| | | | schools. It is a one day workshop for key |
| In a response to the plea from Jamie Oliver | | | | stage two pupils. It is run by the Soil |
| for a school dinner revolution, the Prime | | | | Associations education department. The |
| Minister has also said that school kitchens | | | | workshop provides children with an |
| will be rebuilt and equipped so that food | | | | opportunity to consider healthy eating, local |
| dishes can be cooked from scratch, while | | | | and organic food through the theme of |
| dinner ladies are given culinary skills to | | | | choices. |
| help them create appetizing menus. | | | | |
| | | | Schools also need information on good |
| From autumn 2006, school dinners in England | | | | practice when sourcing healthy food for |
| will now exclude crisps, chocolate, fizzy | | | | school meals. Schools can further improve |
| drinks and low-quality meat. School children | | | | childrens diets and increase their |
| will be served at least two portions of fruit | | | | understanding of food by means of farm |
| and vegetables with every meal and deep-fried | | | | visits, and classroom activities. Wouldnt it |
| food will be restricted to two portions per | | | | be wonderful if all schools could have |
| week. Meals that are high in salt and fat | | | | gardens so that kids can see that food doesnt |
| from the school canteen are also banned. | | | | come just from packets or appear miraculously |
| | | | in shops? |
| From a parents perspective, many want better | | | | |
| school meals for their children and to swap | | | | To encourage kids at home to eat healthily |
| junk food for both organic and local fresh | | | | why not make soups with organic vegetables, |
| meals but there has been pictures in the | | | | while the children can make their own |
| national newspapers of some parents taking | | | | smoothies in the blender with organic yogurt |
| dinner orders at the school gates and going | | | | or milk and fresh or frozen fruit. I bet the |
| and buying burgers, chips and other unhealthy | | | | kids can taste the difference. All the kids |
| meals and then delivering it to their | | | | in my family love organic yoghurts, and for |
| children and others. This is clearly | | | | snacks they have organic dried fruit. |