Borough Life Autum 2006: School meals
Heard it through the grapevine: Katey Cooper gets the message from Wigan Council's healthy schools Inspectors Sarah Gabbett and Gill Harrison at St John's Primary School, Mosley Common
'Pukka Tucker'
What’s on the menu for the borough’s children
Scores of healthy, tasty home made dishes, including:
- Sausage with Yorkshire pudding and onion gravy, potatoes and mixed vegetables.
- Lasagne or spaghetti bolognaise with fresh vegetables.
- Jacket potato with a choice of filling, served with salad or vegetables and coleslaw.
- Shepherds pie, served with carrots and sweetcorn.
- Baked whitefish, served with potatoes, broccoli and carrots.
- Freshly made sandwiches on white or wholemeal bread.
- Lancashire hot pot, served with green beans.
- Turkey tikka, served with basmati rice.
- Beef and vegetable stew and dumplings, with new potatoes.
And for afters…
- Low fat yoghurt
- Fresh fruit
- Fruit juice or milk
- Irish fruit cake
Remember Jamie’s School Dinners, the brilliant Channel 4 series in which self-styled ‘cockney geezer’ Oliver campaigned to bring ‘pukka tucker’ to school menus?
Well, Jamie’s efforts weren’t just a critically acclaimed success in TV land – they actually led to government demands for higher nutritional standards in school meals.
These improved standards come into force soon at the start of the new school term, but Wigan Council’s new menus don’t just meet them – they exceed them.
The council’s in-house meals provider, MCCS, has been working on the new menus with NHS dietitian Helen Turner, from the Ashton, Leigh & Wigan Primary Care Trust.
OUT go processed foods and fizzy drinks.
IN come fresh fruit and veg from local farms, high quality meat and fish, and healthy fruit juices, milk and good old H2O.
“What children eat and drink can have a major influence on their health now and in the future”, says Helen.
“A healthy diet can help them to grow and develop properly, enjoy lots of activities and reduce the risk of illness such as anaemia, tooth decay, obesity and, in later life, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
“I’m impressed with the commitment shown by school communities and the council towards promoting healthy eating.
“These changes will make a significant difference to the health of children, because what really matters is the health of every child in the borough.”
Councillor Brian Wilson, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services adds:
“The new menu is about giving children all the natural goodness they need to live life to the full and reach their potential. And the meals are tasty too!
“The higher quality means that at £1.70 they’re costing a little bit more than last term, but we’ve worked hard with our partners in the health service to make sure they’re worth it.”
Healthy schools, healthy children
Schools all over the country are working towards becoming ‘healthy schools’ – schools with a proven commitment to all aspects of children’s health.
St John’s primary in Mosley Common is one of them.
The school has been working with pupils, parents, health professionals, Wigan Council and others over many months and will find out later in the year whether it will achieve the national standard.
St John’s has been running an exhausting – but highly enjoyable – series of activities, including school meal taster sessions, dance and aerobics, first aid courses, road safety sessions and much more to encourage healthier living.
“It’s been hard work for everybody involved” admits deputy head Joanna Walker, “but it’s been well worth the effort. Children are making healthier lifestyle choices at home as well as in school and you really can see the difference.
“Healthy schools accreditation will mean a lot to us and a big thank you is due to everybody involved in the effort to achieve it, especially those parents whose support has been invaluable.”