Councillors enjoy a healthy lunch
Warwickshire County Councillors are going back to school to see what it is like to have a school dinner.
They are going to local schools in their wards as part of a fact-finding mission learning about the new nutritional standards which have been introduced nationally, to ensure school meals contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.
These standards have already been implemented in Warwickshire schools with the menus for those taking school dinners offering a range of tasty, healthy meals. Different menus have been prepared for secondary and primary schools and can be viewed at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/schoolmeals.
With vending machines emptied of chocolate and fizzy drinks, and chips only on the menu a limited amount of times each week, the focus has truly fallen on promoting healthier foods.
The visits by members of the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, coincides with the latest programme by crusading TV chef Jamie Oliver. Jamie’s School Dinners last year declared war on the ‘Turkey Twizzler’ – something which would not have been seen in a Warwickshire school kitchen for years.
Jamie Oliver is now turning his attention on what parents put in lunchboxes, while steps are being taken by Warwickshire County Council in a £1.5 million project to improve the county’s school kitchens and to train staff in preparing even healthier food.
Cllr David Booth, chair of the committee, who has already sampled the menu at Lighthorne Heath Primary School, said he found school meals a great option. “I sat next to some very enthusiastic young people. The school meal staff were really good, and the meal was healthy, tasty and the children enjoyed it. There were lots of clean plates at the end and there was no junk food in sight.”
Sandra Russell, of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Warwickshire is already meeting the standards that came into force at the start of term. We ran pilot schemes in various schools before introducing them countywide, and they have gone down very well with students. Schools are delighted to be welcoming their local councillors to try the dishes that we make available every day to the county’s children.”