School meals: Canteen revamps would aid take-up

Researchers working for the School Food Trust surveyed 502 pupils aged11 to 16.

They found that one in seven of them only got half an hour's lunchbreak, and that children in almost half of schools get a break of lessthan an hour.

The findings were unveiled alongside new guidance from the trust thisweek. The guidance, Fresh Look at the School Meals Experience, adviseshead teachers on how to boost the number of children eating schoolmeals. Suggestions include staggering lunch breaks and cuttingqueues.

Prue Leith, the trust's chair, said school canteens were "the biggestrestaurant chain in the country", and had to cater to pupils'expectations as customers. "A major refurbishment programme may not berealistic for all schools but if they can get the basics right, such asproviding time to digest food, somewhere to sit, proper crockery andcutlery, this will make a huge difference," she said.