I'm really pleased to see that the government has published a report promoting school lunches over packed lunches – there has been a real improvement in quality over the last ten years – but, as the report says, uptake is not as great as it ought to be, and running an economical service requires the greatest possible numbers.
The evidence is clear – school meals are more nutritious, with benefits to health and ability to learn, as well as behaviour. Where schools have already banned pupils from going off-site at lunchtime this has had significant benefits on all these fronts – as well as reduced reliance on "fast food" which is almost invariably fat-, sugar- and salt-laden. There have also been significant benefits to local communities with reduced litter and less antisocial behaviour.
I'd go even further – free lunches for all. There would be a cost, but the benefits would be well worth it.
But it's a good start, and the report should influence both schools (and academies) and local authorities.
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