What's in a healthy lunchbox?
Ninety-nine out of every 100 packed lunches being eaten by primary school children are reported to be unhealthy and failing to meet nutritional standards.
So what should a healthy lunch contain and what foods should be left out? According to advice from the Food Standards Agency,a healthy packed lunch should include:
• Meat, fish or a dairy source of protein
• Starchy carbohydrate, such as a wholegrain sandwich, to provide energy
• At least one portion each of a fruit and vegetable or salad
• Water or milk to drink, but diluted fruit juice and yoghurt drinks or smoothies are acceptable
The key foods to avoid are:
• Sweets and chocolate
• Snacks, like crisps, with added salt/sugar/fat
• Sugary and fizzy drinks
• Deep-fried foods and processed meats
• White bread - if children won't eat brown, try whole white sliced
Nutritional standards for school meals were introduced in 2006 and standards for vending machines, breakfast clubs and tuck shops came into force a year later.
In 2008, strict nutrition content guidelines for primary schools were introduced and extended to secondary schools in September 2009.
They include maximum/minimum levels of energy or calories and 13 different nutrients, including fat, salt and sugars.
The Schools Food Trust - an independent body set up to advise schools on healthy eating - says there are no plans to issue statutory guidance on packed lunches, but it has produced some sample lunchbox menus.
