Chris Packham demands 'now is time for school meals to nourish minds and bodies'

15 March 2024 , 14:59

496     0

Chris Packham is having his say on school dinners (Image: Paul Carter)

Most of us remember stodgy food, pink custard and that terrible toad in the hole. And this week it sounded like school dinners had not changed much, when a head teacher condemned the shocking quality of the food provided for pupils at the school he leads. In a letter to parents, Jason Ashley said the dinners at Redbridge Community School in Southampton, Hants, were completely unacceptable, adding: “If my own children’s school served this I would be exceptionally unhappy.” But TV presenter Chris Packham, an ambassador for ProVeg UK’s School Plates programme, says this story –from near where he lives on the south coast – is no longer that typical of food at our educational establishments. Here he writes exclusively for the Mirror on how standards have been improving.

Rest assured, school food is changing across the country. There is a quiet revolution going on – one that prioritises children’s health and the health of our planet. Revolutions, of course, have never been easy – nor have they happened overnight. Their impacts, however, have the potential to change our future, and necessary change is under way.

Historically, school meals do not have the best reputation. When I was in school, some of the meals were enough to send chills down your spine, and sadly they got worse before they got better. Fatty beef stew, spam fritters – if it wasn’t packed full of cholesterol then it wasn’t on the menu.

But things are different now, because they need to be different. Change is happening and school food has the potential to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our society. We are living in the midst of not only a public health crisis, but also a climate crisis. With 20% of British primary school children living with obesity, providing quality school meals that nourish young minds and bodies is of the utmost importance.

Meals like this will be no more (Redbridge Community)

And as for the climate crisis? We all know children are the future, and how deeply they care about protecting our planet. School meals should cater to what these children need – healthy, planet-friendly food that tastes just as good as it looks. And I know, with certainty, that many children are being served exactly that.

Nursery apologises after child with Down's syndrome ‘treated less favourably’

As an ambassador for ProVeg UK’s School Plates programme, I have had the privilege of witnessing the transformations taking place in school cafeterias across the country. Gone are the days of uninspired, nutritionally deficient meals. Instead, there is a culinary revolution – all thanks to the inspirational efforts of the school caterers driving this change. Earlier this month, it was my honour to recognise some of the best school menus in the UK with the ProVeg School Plates Awards – a national accreditation scheme acknowledging exemplary menus that excel in health and sustainability.

I was inspired by the efforts caterers are taking with their menus. They are reducing carbon emissions through meat reduction, offering tasting sessions for children and parents, and the sheer innovation involved in creating delicious, healthy meals that children love. From jackfruit jambalayas to spiced chickpea pilafs, school meals are simply not what they used to be – and thank goodness for that.

Through School Plates, we’re working with 25% of local authorities responsible for school food, feeding over a million children every day. That’s a million children who are accessing high-quality, sustainable and nutritious meals. While I am deeply saddened to see that some caterers are not providing the same, high-quality meals, it’s important to recognise that school catering is no easy task.

Meals like this will become the norm

With budgets tighter than ever, it’s no wonder there are still examples of poor school meals. But there is an answer – not only to navigating tight budgets, but also to our health and climate crises. By increasing the amount of plant-based meals on menus, schools can easily save money while ensuring that children are being served quality food that is as nutritious as it is tasty.

ProVeg’s plant-based school meals cause, on average, just over a quarter of the emissions of equivalent meat-based dishes, and can easily match their counterparts in protein content while reducing saturated fat and boosting fibre intake. And that’s exactly why the School Plates programme exists – to help caterers tackle the turbulent waters of school food by making simple changes. Of course, our work is far from over. There are still many challenges to overcome to ensure that every child has access to healthy, sustainable options at lunchtime.

We must continue to advocate for policies that prioritise the well-being of our children and our planet, and we must continue to support initiatives, like School Plates, that are leading the way to a more sustainable future. I want to extend my gratitude to all the caterers and educators who are championing the cause of better school food. Together, we can create a brighter, healthier future for the next generation, one plate at a time.

Chris Packham