Oneof the things that irritated me most about being a councillor and school governor, and a schools auditor in neighbouring boroughs was the school dinners. The menus were generally unappetising even on the menu sheets. I couldn't really understand the rationale behind them; I felt that there was a lot of junk on there, which seemed an expensive way to fill kids up. I think there was a thinking that if you gave children healthy food they wouldn't eat it. Obviously, we all know that healthy food is a turn off to most children and to a lot of adults. I also know it's more diffcult in secondary schools when pupils demand choice.
But some of the schools with which I am familiar had/have two thirds of children entitled to free meals. I have no idea how many came to school without breakfast, but teachers informed me it was a significant number.
However, there has to be an element of habit-forming. Many kids arrive at school unable to use cutlery or to sit up at table. Put food in front of a hungry child, and, eventually, it will eat. One school I visited had a rule that forbid playtime snacks unless they were fruit.
Next stop, persuading the caterers at Valhalla* that there veggie menu is not acceptable. Quorn twice and pasta bake/lasagne is not variety, not appetising, and definitely not what I want. Mind you, when I had a look the vegetable tempura looked very nice indeed. Yet I never used the restaurant at Nibelheim**.
* Our new office building
** Our old office building
