What has really changed since Jamie Oliver's school meals?

[UndertheCedartree]

Just wondering really if much has changed. I didn't have DC in 2005. I mean I remember the horrible looking school lunch and my DD's school lunches are a lot better. But I still don't think they are overly healthy and have quite a lot of processed food. My DD is on FSM so I am very grateful for them, of course. Is it mainly a funding issue why they aren't better?

Well a standard school lunch from my kids is;

Pizza served with noodles followed by cake

Or

Pasta served with potato squares followed by pancakes and ice cream.

Our school has a healthy eating certificate and you aren’t allowed to put sugar free squash or sugary cake bars in packed lunches.

So I’m guessing bugger all. But I didn’t have kids in 2005 either.

he got fatter

I guess no more turkey twizzlers!

But turkey is actually low in fat and high in protein, so maybe Jamie Oliver was more about projecting an image, rather than providing practical solutions.

Our school did not have hot meals at all it was sandwiches for everyone and they now have free school meals for all children up to year 2 which I think has a lot to do with J.O campaign, even though not directly he raised awareness of the value of school meals.
I know school dinners aren't perfect and a really good lunchbox may even be healthier, but I still think its good to have the option of a hot meal especially in the cold weather.

Turkey twizzler got swapped for Turkey drummers 😁

Anecdotally (a friend is on the Board of Trustees for a large education academy group), many schools did attempt to make meals healthier but it resulted in a significant proportion of children rejecting the food because it wasn’t what they were used to at home - which is a huge problem where FSM children are concerned, if they don’t eat the lunch which could be their main meal of the day. In short, better to eat pizza and chips for lunch than nothing at all, and schools simply don’t have the budget to cater for more than one or two meal options per day.

Although I also believe that there are base nutritional standards for school meals which were introduced off the back of JO’s campaign - so there has to be the option of at least two portions of vegetables every day, a certain amount of protein, a maximum amount of sugar allowed and so on.

I eat a lot of school meals- across the country and have done for the past 20 years

These days generally:
Good choice
All edible
Some are amazing- restaurant quality- particularly sandwiches at secondary

I think that people who knock them probably dont eat that many

I think that the introduction of academies meant that schools were allowed to serve what they liked.
Might be wrong

Our school seem ok but gone down hill a bit since covid.

@grafittiartist

I think that the introduction of academies meant that schools were allowed to serve what they liked. Might be wrong

In my experience academies have great meals- although many still use LA catering.

Ours is one of the best in the country

But turkey is actually low in fat

A turkey twizzler isn’t though.

@supadupapupascupa

Ours is one of the best in the country

Unless you are a primary in the midlands with catering from the local pub I would dispute that

@LibrariesGiveUsPower45321 - oh, that makes my DD's sound great! And there is no 'lunch box police' here.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing - same here - not as good since Covid. One of the problems is they can't do the salad bar anymore. Wish they just put a bit of salad on their plates.

@RaindropsonPiglets - my DD's school is an academy and compared to some other schools her meals are very good. I have eaten them too as they used to have mum's come in for mother's Day. The meals are very tasty.

@supadupapupascupa - what does your school serve?

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

he got fatter

😂 that was my first thought

Our school meals are shit. We moved from the council to a private firm and it's beige every day!

I saw a turkey twizzler in Tesco the wild this week, they're back! What with that and the restaurant failures Jamie's not having a great run lately.

@KingdomScrolls

I saw a turkey twizzler in Tesco the wild this week, they're back! What with that and the restaurant failures Jamie's not having a great run lately.

Oh dear, poor Jamie!

I had to google turkey twizzlers😂 does not look nice

Mine ate jacket potato and cheese for a year in reception. They went to packed lunch once I realised. Out of a class of 30 only a couple have school dinners and I would hazard a guess they are FSM. The menu reads well but the reality is crap.

I was in my first year of secondary school in 2005. The only thing that changed was he got rid of our donuts. Which we err outraged by because they were amazing. Our food was really good though. All homemade by the old lady who had cooked there even when my dad was there. She used to come in at 5am and make everything from scratch.

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

he got fatter

🤣🤣🤣

@idontlikealdi - my DD is partial to a JP and cheese! Think she had it quite a lot in Reception but eats other things now, thank goodness!

A couple of the things I'd like to see changed - they have sausages on the menu every week with either chips or hash browns - I'd rather something less processed. I'd like to see less cake for dessert and more fruit salad.

@SheABitSpicyToday - sounds great.

It’s got a lot shitter in primary IMO.