Pupils not keen on healthy menus

Jul 8 2008

THE number of secondary pupils taking school meals in Perth and Kinross plummeted by 15% during 2007/2008.

And Iain Waddell, managing director of Tayside Contracts, warns the situation is “liable to get worse” because of government legislation.

“Our Catering Unit has been suffering a substantial decline in meal numbers over the last few years since the Scottish Executive introduced its Healthy Eating initiative,” he explains.

And he adds: “This is liable to get worse during 2008/09, given that the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act 2007 will impose further restrictions on the type and variety of popular drinks, snacks and home-backed goods from August, 2008.”

Under the healthier eating drive, fizzy drinks for primary pupils are to be canned.

And they will be banned from having chips or other deep-fried foods more than three times a week. Sweets will also be taken off the menu.

Mr Waddell adds in his annual report: “As a result of these changes, coupled with a reduction in the frequency of other popular items on the menu, it is anticipated that the pupils resistant to the changes will go elsewhere for their food.”

Ian Shepherd, Head of Facilities Services, which provides catering and cleaning services to its three constituent councils, noted that the 12 months under review had been “particularly difficult” in terms of workload for the catering Unit.

They had been faced with falling school rolls, reduced free meal registration in Dundee, both of which had a big impact on sales, along with reaction to the Hungry for Success menus in some locations.

“This was the third full year of the new menus and the initial negative reaction in some areas has been more than overcome, with sales meeting expectations in all areas.”

He added: “This was the first full year of implementation of the Hungry for Success criteria within secondary schools.

“This has had little impact on the level of sales in two of the council areas but it had a serious impact in the Perth and Kinross area, with sales down by some 15 per cent.

However, the numbers of pupils making healthier choices increased markedly.

“Although it will take some time to fully achieve the recommendations, the healthy agenda should ultimately be successful in improving the eating patterns of school children.”