A new report from the food charity Bite Back, founded by chef Jamie Oliver, has found that most English secondary schools are breaking healthy food rules. The analysis of food provided at almost 400 state secondaries revealed what the charity described as “shocking” breaches of school food standards, just ahead of the new school term starting in September.
Findings described as alarming
D’Arcy Williams, Bite Back’s chief executive, said: “These findings are very alarming and expose a system that is fundamentally failing our children.” The report highlights that crisps and chocolate are being pushed at breakfast time, while processed meats such as sausage rolls and bacon baps are served far more frequently than the rules allow.
Williams added: “It is shocking to find crisps and chocolate being pushed at breakfast time or processed meats like sausage rolls and bacon baps being served far more frequently than the rules allow. Young people have been telling us for years that their school food is ‘beige, bland and boring’ and now we have more evidence that they are being surrounded by unhealthy food throughout the school day. Schools should be a sanctuary for health and learning, yet the current postcode lottery of food quality is undermining that mission.”
Obesity Health Alliance responds
Katharine Jenner, the executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “Schools should be one of the places where we can be confident children are being given nutritious food. Yet this research suggests too many are still being routinely exposed to processed meat, fried foods, pastries and confectionery beyond what the standards allow. Children are already growing up surrounded by unhealthy food across the wider food system, from what is marketed to them to what is promoted in shops. If we can’t even get the food environment right in schools, where children spend such a large part of their lives, then we have a serious problem.”
Government promises overhaul
In response, the Department for Education, now operating under the Labour Party government, has promised “ambitious” overhauls of school food. They will introduce “strengthened enforcement” and require every school to publish their food policy and menus online to improve transparency for parents.
The Department for Education said: “We want every child to be healthy, happy and ready to learn, and nutritious food plays a vital role in helping them achieve that. That’s why we are delivering the most ambitious overhaul of school food in a generation, making sure children have access to healthy, balanced meals, get more of their five a day and are protected from the harms of eating too much ultra-processed food. We know not every school is following these standards, which is exactly why we will introduce a strengthened enforcement regime, alongside requiring every school to publish their food policy and menus online to improve transparency for parents.”
