The answer in short is “yes”!
With one in three children now leaving primary school overweight or obese the mission to combat childhood obesity in the UK still continues.
Improving food standards in schools is critical as not only do these help establish healthy eating messages, they also promote good nutrition, health and well-being for children and young people.
The current School Food Standards have been mandatory since January 2015 for state schools and academies set up after September 2014.
Although compliance with the standards is not currently monitored, the School Food Plan and other children’s food campaigners believe that the legislation should be mandatory in all schools.
Public Health England are currently working with the Department for Education to develop a set of menus that will illustrate what healthy school meals look like.
In the meantime, adopting the School Food Standards shows you are providing school meals which are aligned to current recommendations of providing a balance of healthier and more sustainable food.
Whether you are an Academy, State or Independent school, take a look at our simple practical guide to help you check how you are doing against the School Food Standards.
Company Dietitian, Anna-Maria Holt RD, is available to help Pelican’s school caterers ensure their menus are nutritionally adequate. For help or advice, please email anna-maria.holt@pelicanprocurement.co.uk
