Opinion: School meals are a step towards better diets

Jamie's new television series, in which he takes on the meals service of secondary schools, has sparked a debate about the state of school catering.

Now that the grim reality of school dinners is being exposed on national television, there seems to be momentum for change.

Was it just coincidence that the Government announced the introduction of tougher standards for school meals, just as Jamie's TV series was about to start?

Standard setting may be part of the solution, but the real challenge facing schools is how to transform their school meals service within current constraints. Already Jamie seems to have brought some of his renowned straight talking to this debate. He's exposed the fact that most schools have between 35 and 45 pence per meal per pupil to spend. Even Jamie, who could pull a few strings when it came to negotiating with food suppliers, struggled to provide a nutritious midday meal on that kind of money.