New healthy eating diktats in school lunches could lead to staff cuts and further “draw money away from teaching” as budgets are cut, headteachers warned today.
Schools across England will be forced to cut the supply of sweetened baked goods to pupils under the first new school feeding standards for more than a decade.
Desserts must contain or be served with fruit as part of a major Department of Education reform aimed at tackling childhood obesity and tooth decay.
Sugary drinks and foods such as ice cream will also be limited, and deep-fried foods will be reduced. Foods high in fat and salt, such as pizza, will also have to be limited.
More fibrous whole grains and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas should be included alongside main meals at least once a week, while a portion of vegetables or salad should accompany or be included in each main meal.
But bosses warned schools would need extra funding to comply with the new rules as a kilo of chicken nuggets costs the same as two chicken breasts.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Current levels of funding for free school meals are not sufficient to cover costs.
“Many schools have to divert money from teaching and learning to afford this vital provision. This is the case when Peter has to be robbed in order to pay Paul.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, added: “If the Government is serious about their practical work, they must provide significant additional funding to reflect the true cost of school meals, which these new requirements are likely to increase.
“Many schools already have to spend depleted core staffing and curriculum budgets to subsidize costs.”
He also said any reviews should not place “additional burdens” on “already overburdened” school leaders.
The changes mean the traditional Friday fish and chips lunches, loved by many students, will still be allowed, but will instead have to be prepared using an oven roast.
In addition, sweetened desserts such as cake, waffles and ice cream can only be served twice a week in secondary schools and once in primary schools – and must include a serving of fruit.
Previously, cakes and desserts were allowed every lunch.
Under the new rules, all bread must be at least half whole grain, whereas previously it could be all white.
Processed meats such as sausage and chicken nuggets can only be served once a week, and all pasta must be at least 50 percent whole wheat flour once a week.
There will also be new rules regarding condiments: only low-salt and low-sugar ketchups are allowed and chocolate spread is prohibited.
Meanwhile, breakfast clubs, which previously had no specifications, should not include baked goods, scrambled eggs and high-sugar cereals such as Coco Pops.
Nigel Wright, headteacher at Oakmoor School in Bordon, Hampshire, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “If we want to supply fresh ingredients and better quality food then we need the budget to support that.
“When you can buy a kilo of chicken nuggets for the same price as two chicken breasts, then we really have a problem.”
Each school is expected to post its menu and food policies online to promote compliance.
They are also expected to appoint a school meals manager who will hold schools accountable for the meals they offer.
Mr Wright added: “I think schools should be able to explain what they feed their children and parents should be able to see the menu.
“But at the end of the day, if it’s a compliance check that requires more paperwork but doesn’t actually improve the quality of food on a child’s plate, then it’s pointless.”
Schools will have to cut back on serving sweetened baked goods to students (file photo)
Farzana Ahmed, headteacher at Oasis Academy Blakenhale in Birmingham, acknowledged that monitoring schools was “important”.
But she also told the BBC they “probably need more government guidance on what this will look like on a day-to-day basis.”
The Tories also criticized the reforms, saying the nation had “much more important things” on its agenda, such as defense spending.
Matt Vickers, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, said: “Our armed forces are falling apart, but Andy Burnham has decided his priority is to take pudding off the menu.
“The only thing shakier than Andy Burnham’s defense policy is the jelly he’s trying to ban.”
It comes as all pupils in England from families on Universal Credit are now eligible for free school meals.
Leading nutritionist Renee McGregor told the Daily Mail that she supports free meals for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are “probably not getting the nutrients they need – and if they get one good school lunch a day, that can really help.”
But she added: “My concern is that children are not used to eating foods like vegetables, beans and legumes and the way you encourage them to try. Introducing new foods can be a lot of hard work and requires support to make it work.
“Another challenge is with children who have higher nutritional needs, especially developing adolescents because they are so physically active. They shouldn’t be eating junk food, but we need to consider whether they will get enough energy from this new strategy to meet their increasing needs.
“Overall, I welcome that food is becoming better and more nutritious, but there will always be problems – and the worry is that with all this public health advice, it tends to be a blanket approach and vulnerable groups are ignored.”
The DfE will work with the Food Standards Agency on a school monitoring plan, details of which will be published in the coming months.
A survey of more than 1,400 headteachers and senior leaders in primary and secondary state schools in England, carried out in September by Teacher Tapp on behalf of School Food Matters, found that 68 per cent believed the standards would be more effective if compliance were independently monitored.
The standards will come into force next September, with secondary schools given until September 2028 to make some changes.
Around one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese, and tooth decay is the leading cause of hospitalization in children aged five to nine.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said: “These are once-in-a-generation changes that will transform school meals for children across the country.
“From our historic expansion of free school meals to the launch of free breakfast clubs and new school meal standards, we are making sure every child has access to the healthy nutrition we know children need to learn, grow and succeed.
“No child should go through the school day hungry and no family should struggle to put food on the table. This is what change looks like: healthier food, fuller stomachs and a fairer start in life for every child.”
The changes are supported by chef Jamie Oliver and actress Emma Thompson.
Oliver said it was a “brilliant day” after 25 years of campaigning.
“20-odd years ago when I started school dinners, I couldn’t believe we had standards for dog food and not what we served our kids at school,” he said. “And I never stopped banging that drum.
“So it’s great to see new school meal standards based on the latest science to make sure the food children get at school actually keeps them healthy and helps them thrive.”
“And that these standards will not just live on paper, but will be properly monitored to ensure they are being met, so we know where we need to show care, love and support.”
Dame Emma, who is campaigning for the Food Foundation, said: “This is an important milestone to celebrate and an investment in a healthier future for the next generation.”