Dinner ladies have been issued with guidance on how to maximise the healthy content of the meals they serve to children, as new legislation surrounding the quality of school food comes into force.
Dinner ladies have been issued with guidance on how to maximise the healthy content of the meals they serve to children, as new legislation surrounding the quality of school food comes into force.
Tips on how to increase fibre and lower fat content in lunches is included in the guide, as is advice on how to incorporate more vegetables into meals.
Instructions on how to concentrate vitamins and minerals through various preparation techniques are listed, and detailed information on banned foods such as confectionery and fizzy drinks is given alongside strict limits placed on fried foods and sugar.
The legislation tightens up the Healthy for Success guidelines published by the former Scottish Executive five years ago.
The new law includes a more liberal portion of salt allowed to flavour foods - 38% of recommended daily amount compared to 35% - after both kitchen staff and manufacturers found it difficult to prepare desirable dinners using the stricter limit. Zinc - known to promote adolescent growth and a healthy immune system - has been added to the list of required minerals.
Laws on food standards in schools came into force in primary schools in August, with a longer period given to reform secondary school menus because of the difficulties of setting a healthy eating agenda for older pupils.
Adam Ingram, children's minister, said: "In June, we published Healthy Eating, Active Living, an action plan to improve diet, increase physical activity and tackle obesity in Scotland over the next three years. Schools have a central role to play in helping to improve the health of the nation. Local authorities and managers now have a duty to ensure that food and drink provided in schools comply with these regulations."
Recommendations include a limit on the use of pickled vegetables, such as beetroot, because of their high salt content, and providing extra wholemeal bread to pupils, at no extra charge, as a meal accompaniment. The sale of crisps has been forbidden, with the only savoury snacks on sale to be oatcakes, breadsticks and crackers. Pastry desserts should be replaced by those made of oats, wholemeal flour and fresh or canned fruit.
The new legislation has been generally welcomed, but criticisms have been made that it has perhaps gone too far in some areas, with older children leaving the school grounds to buy their preferred lunch.
Last month, it was reported that the take-up of school meals in secondary schools was at its lowest in 10 years, and concerns have been raised that canteens will become further deserted when the laws take effect in August 2009.
Glasgow City Council's David Melvin, the man with responsibility for school meals at Scotland's largest local authority, said: "The problem is that pupils vote with their feet and choose to eat elsewhere. With primary schools it is fine because more pupils stay in the school grounds at lunchtime, but secondary pupils just leave the school gates and buy their lunch somewhere else.
"That is a huge, huge challenge for us. We will see where we are in August 2009, but to change habits built up over a lifetime is an incredibly difficult thing to do."
Catherine Nelson, general manager for catering and cleaning services at North Ayrshire Council, she said that school kitchens have, overall, received the legislation well.
"Certainly, they (the cooks) would probably have to have their wits about them. Everything is nutritionally analysed and they are involved very early on in that process."
At a glance
- Standards of nutrition in the school kitchen Fruit and vegetables: Provide a choice of at least two types of fruit (not fruit juice) every day Oily fish: Offer at least once every three weeks
Bread: Offer additional bread, which must include brown or wholemeal, every day to accompany meals
Oils and spreads: Use only oils and spreads high in polyunsaturated and/or monosaturated fats in food preparation
Deep fried foods: Offer no more than three deep-fried items in a single week (including chips). Chips, if served, must be part of a main meal
Table salt and condiments: Additional salt cannot be provided, and condiments must be portions of 10ml or less
Confectionery: No sweets can be provided Savoury snacks: Only crackers, oatcakes or breadsticks. No crisps
