School Food Standards

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Published: 06 March 2006

School Food Standards

Headteacher and school workforce associations, dieticians, health charities, and food & drink organisations are invited to submit their views on draft standards proposed by the independent School Food Trust for school food other than lunch.

The consultation will seek the views of key stakeholders only especially on the following questions:

· Do you agree that no confectionery should be sold in schools?

· Do you agree that no bagged savoury snacks other than nuts and seeds (without added salt or sugar) should be sold in schools?

· Do you agree that a variety of fruit and vegetables should be available in all school food outlets? This could include fresh, dried, frozen, canned and juiced varieties

· Do you agree that children and young people must have easy access at all times to free, fresh, preferably chilled, water in schools so that children do not have to depend on going to the lavatory to get water?

· Do you agree that the only other drinks available should be bottled water (still or sparkling), skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, pure fruit juices, yoghurt and milk drinks (with less than 5% added sugar), drinks made from combinations of these e.g. smoothies, low calorie hot chocolate, tea and coffee?

· Do you agree that artificial sweeteners could be used in yoghurt and milk drinks only?

· Do you agree that every school should have a whole school food and nutrition policy, preferably reflected in its single School Plan?

· How effective do you think these recommendations would be in improving the eating habits of children and young people?

· How could schools best manage the practical implications of moving to these proposed standards?

· What additional guidance would schools need to implement these proposed standards?

Jacqui Smith said:

"The independent School Food Trust has proposed a robust set of standards for food which can be sold in schools through vending machines, in tuck shops and at break times.

It is important that we now seek the views of a wide range of stakeholders on these to ensure that such standards are effective, practical, and in the best interests of children's health."

The Government has already consulted on new minimum standards for school lunches to be introduced in all schools by this September.

The Trust also recommends that only food-based standards should be applied to school food other than school lunches.

They advise that it would be inappropriate to set standards expressed in nutrient terms for food services for the whole school day. This would mean that for breakfast, mid morning and afternoon breaks there would be no specific restrictions, in terms of, for example, levels of fat, sugar and salt.

Following the consultation, the Government will publish the final version of the non-lunch food standards alongside the agreed standards for school lunches in May.

Commenting on the announcement, the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA) said that children from poorer backgrounds might not be able to afford to buy healthier foods, once the ban on school junk food is introduced.

While welcoming proposals to ban confectionary, crisps and fizzy drinks from school tuck shops and vending machines in September 2006, Amicus/CPHVA is concerned that children from disadvantaged backgrounds won’t be able to afford the healthier - but more expensive - food & drinks, proposed by the School Food Trust.

Amicus/CPHVA Professional Officer for School Health and Public Health, Ros Godson said:

“What provision will made for those children from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom receive free school meals, to afford the more expensive choices now proposed?

There will be the temptation for poorer school children to stop off at the corner shop and stock up on crisps and fizzy drinks before they arrive at school.

Schools must be encouraged to buy the healthy foods proposed in bulk directly from the wholesalers, with a strong emphasis on local suppliers”.

Amicus/CPHVA wants the full set proposals outlined by the trust to be enshrined in the Children’s Food Bill currently going through Parliament.

Further information

School Food Trust

Nutritional standards in schools

Food in schools Trust

Food Standards Agency's guide "Healthy Vending Machines"

Children’s Food Bill (click on ‘C’)

Amicus/CPHVA

Related articles:

School Meals Toolkit

Turning the Tables