Healthy eating scheme 'puts children off school meals'

SENIOR council directors have blamed a Government healthy eating initiative on the falling number of children eating school dinners.

In the latest twist to the school meals saga, the Hungry for Success scheme, which was supposed to "revitalise" school dinners, has been accused of causing a drop of nearly 16 per cent in uptake since 2005-6.

The accusation comes as it emerged that hot meals will return to city nurseries after an Evening News campaign forced a council U-turn on cutbacks.

City leader Jenny Dawe has vowed to reverse the decision to give packed lunches to children in 14 of the council's 18 nurseries wherever there is a demand from parents.

The Hungry for Success initiative has focused on putting real ingredients back into school food, taking fat and sugar out, and introducing strict guidelines for schools dictating what food could and could not be served.

For example, it states that oily fish should be served at least once a week and processed meat products only once a week, while two helpings of vegetables and two of fruit should be on the menu each day.

However, Gillian Tee, director of children and families, and Jim Inch, director of corporate services, say the healthy eating initiative has been "challenging" and puts children off school dinners.

A report written by the two directors on the school meals crisis,

stated: "The Hungry for Success initiative has proved very challenging as it has meant the introduction of more balanced and nutritional meal and menu choices for pupils and the removal of less frequent availability of traditional favourites.

"This has also coincided with the removal of vending and confectionery from schools.

"As a result many more pupils have chosen either to bring their own lunches into school or to leave at lunchtimes and buy from local shops."

Councillor Lesley Hinds was chair of Health Scotland when Hungry for Success – which has now been overtaken by the Schools Health Promotion and Nutrition Act – was introduced in 2004. She said: "The evidence in Scotland is that if you do put healthier meals on the table there will be a downturn at first, but it depends how you promote it and market it to the young people."

The Scottish Government spokeswoman said secondary schools in particular are facing challenges in increasing the uptake of school meals "because of the freedom of choice available to secondary pupils and the ready access that they often have to local food outlets".

Cllr Dawe defended the report written by Ms Tee and Mr Inch, and said:

"Although it has at times been challenging, the pupils are adapting well, and in primary schools we have seen an increase in school meal uptake, which is encouraging."