There appears to be an improvement now but it does not seem that schools have to meet the new guidelines for some time, and no-one is checking them, which is what happened in 2001.
The Increase Of Dietary Problems
After World War 2, food was limited and fairly basic, lacking the nutrition and goodness that is so important in our diets. Then, people ate 3 starchy, unrefined, carbohydrated meals each day usually of porridge, bread or potatoes. This was then combined with a small amount of protein and included eggs, meat, fish, milk, chicken, fruit and vegetables. Over the years, whilst the supply of food has increased, many children started consuming crisps, confectionary, ready meals and other quick snacks – mainly junk food. E-additives used to additionally flavour, colour and preserve foods of recent years have increased substantially. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in sugar and fat consumption, leading to many people being overweight, or even clinically obese, from low nutritional value food. Being overweight and a high sugar consumption also increases the risk of diabetes. Being overweight can also, when combined with high salt intake and fat clogging the arteries, lead to heart disease. A lesser, but still important, level of high sugar intake can result in tooth decay and poor dental hygiene. The weight increases and poor dietary intake are now becoming very similar to the seriously overweight problems of the Americans. The old type meals based mainly on fat, red meat and stodge of stews and sweet suety puddings when followed later by all the junk foods have caused the increase in diseases resulting from poor diet. Asthmatics can suffer problems from some E preservatives known as the sulphites for example E221 – sodium sulphite, running through numerically to E228 – potassium hydrogen sulphite. Additives E212 – potassium benzoate to E219 and E230 through to E235 – natamycin, can cause further problems for asthmatics and also people who have already got a reaction to aspirin.
Teenage Dietary And Nutritional Needs
What Are The Healthy Eating Guidelines?
Present School Meals Vs Healthy Eating Guidelines – How Do They Compare?
A healthy nutritional diet is now accepted as a balance between not too much fat, sugar or salt and plenty of bread, pasta, cereals, potatoes, beans, rice, fruit and vegetables (otherwise known as starchy food). The advantage of these is that they are cheap and easy to buy to store and cook and are filling with a low fat and calorie content and high in dietary fibre SNP. By improving the food we eat we improve our body’s performance by supplying nutrients for health and protein for muscles and daily energy. We all have different needs as to the volume of food based on age, sex and physical exertion but the balance of each type of food should be the same. By obtaining a balance of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, fat, fibre and liquid a healthy diet will be achieved.
Following the COMA report the government in 1992 devised a set of targets for diet and nutrition with 8 suggested guidelines as follows.
- Enjoy your food.
- Eat a variety of foods.
- Eat the right amount to be a healthy weight.
- Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre.
- Don’t eat too much fat.
- Don’t eat sugary foods too often.
- Look after the vitamins and minerals in your food.
- If you drink alcohol, keep it within sensible limits.
Any regular viewer to GMT will recognise the name Amanda Ursell. She has taken it upon herself to try and simplify a daily healthy eating guideline for children from 2 to 14. Her report (see appendix i) covers 6 headings as follows:
1. Grains and potatoes. Anything from four – six servings (1 serving = size of child’s fist) of rice, pasta, noodles, sweet and ordinary potatoes, parsnips, breakfast cereals (non-sugar), bread, couscous and bulgur wheat. Energy and Vitamin B are obtained from these and as whole grain also supply fibre.
2. Protein rich foods. Two portions (the size of child’s palm) are required and include chicken, eggs, turkey, pulses, fish, lean meat, and quorn. From these are obtained protein (vital for growth) together with important minerals such as iron (important for concentration).
3. Calcium rich foods. Two servings required where one serving is a glass of milk, a yoghurt or 75g of tofu or tinned fish. These foods also include cheese, calcium rich soya milk and tinned fish containing edible bones. The calcium is good for strong bones and teeth. Children from 2 – 5 should have semi-skimmed milk and providing a child over 5 is of average weight then skimmed milk is satisfactory.
4. Fruit and vegetables. Inline with the current chant of 5-a-day this basically covers the whole range. Mix and match are highly recommended to provide variety both in taste and colour and giving a balance of different vitamins and minerals.
5. Salt. Children’s kidneys struggle to cope with excess salt and the excess can lead to high blood pressure. The recommended maximum intake for children under 7 is 3g, 7-10 is 5g and over 10s is 6g.
6. Sugar. Any food label showing that it has more than 10g of sugar per 100g is classed as high sugar food however, less than 3g per 100g, is classed as low sugar. The maximum recommendations are for 4-6 year olds 40g, 7-10 year olds 46g and 11-14 year olds 50g.
Revised Government Nutritional Standards: September 2007
A new nutritional standard for school lunches and other school food was implemented during 2006. This standard has subsequently been updated and the information below reflects the current government requirement for all food in schools.
The document above is the current revised standard that secondary schools have to achieve by 2009 to give a minimum of one third of a child’s daily requirements. In order to fall in line with these standards the choice of schools meals has had to be reduced. As an example of the amount of detail in the new nutritional standards (see appendix ii) the following applies: 11 to 18 year olds require 646 calories, a maximum of 25.2g of fat with a maximum of 7.9g of saturated, 3.7g of zinc, 13.3g of protein, vitamin C with a minimum of 14.6g. The ruling also states that at least one portion of fruit and vegetables are provided per day. In Hampshire, this amount is doubled. Whilst there are many do’s, there are also some do not’s: no more confectionary or savoury snacks, the only exception being, nuts and seeds, unsalted and unsweetened but care to be exercised with regard to nut allergies. Cakes and biscuits are only allowed as part of a full meal and not instead of. For those needing extra between meals it is permissible to allow suitable homemade products as in savoury muffins or fresh breadsticks. It will no longer be possible to obtain sweet and soft drinks, packs of heavily salted snacks and crisps, chocolate coated items and all children’s favourite – deep fried chips are limited to twice in a single week. As discussed earlier it has been seen that previous eating habits have resulted in various medical conditions and there is a need and time for change. The current regulations and revisions attempt to promote a healthier eating society to reduce the health problems.
HC3S have developed an eating policy for all secondary schools covering all objectives under 13 headings.
- Our staff members are encouraged to oven cook or grill instead of frying food.
- Foods with artificial flavouring and colourings are avoided wherever possible.
- Semi-skimmed milk is used in cooking.
- Fat, sugar and salt have been reduced in home-made cakes and biscuits.
- Vegetarian cheese, vegetable margarine and oil are used at all times.
- To increase the fibre content a proportion of wholemeal flour is incorporated into many of our recipes.
- Fresh fruit, salads and vegetables, low fat milk drinks and yoghurts are available every day.
- Rice, pasta and jacket potatoes are frequently included in our menus.
- To develop and maintain a school food policy in partnership with the school management and the students.
- If appropriate, our manager will make regular contact with your representative from the Food Technology department so that greater links can be made to the national curriculum.
- To run special promotions linked to healthy eating; these will link diet with performance and feature healthy eating messages.
- If appropriate we will be happy to talk to students and parents about healthy eating.
- To ensure that the promotion of healthy eating will form part of the overall merchandising and marketing plan.
The above pie diagram shows the proportions of how to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
On close inspection of a new menu in a school in Suffolk (see appendix iii) it would appear to follow the Government guidelines, the exceptions being the chocolate puddings.
Comparison can be made with the Aldworth Science College menu (appendix iv and iva) and Worting Junior School (appendix v).
Extra Background Research
Shop Bought Ready Meals VS School Meals – Which Is Healthier?
By comparison, 3 ready meals, from Sainsbury, show results as follows:
- Chicken casserole with parsley dumplings
Protein – 32.5
Carbohydrate – 36.4 Of which sugars – 4.1 Starch – 42.3
Fat – 15.6 Of which saturate – 6.6
Monounsaturated – 4.1 Polyunsaturated – 4.9
Fibre – 2.26
- Tomato and basil chicken with roasted baby potatoes
Protein – 34.7
Carbohydrate – 56.3 Of which sugars – 13.3 Starch – 39.6
Fat – 3.9 Of which saturate – 0.9
Monounsaturated – 2.1 Polyunsaturated – 0.8
Fibre – 10
Salt – 0.75
Protein – 27.2
Carbohydrate – 46.5 Of which sugars – 2.3
Fat – 24.6 Of which saturated – 9.8
Fibre – 3.1
Salt – 2.3
Primary Research
What Is It Like At Aldworth Science College?
What’s On Offer?
A visit to the school dining area revealed 12 tables seating 12 people per table. These were well spaced within a reasonable area. One wall of the room is of full length glass with views onto a small garden and pond. Whilst it has the potential of giving the dining area pleasant surroundings sadly the garden area is past its best and there are dead fish in the pond. 2 vending machines, being the only ones in the school contain nothing more than bottled water and cans of still fruit juices with prices ranging from 60p to 80p.
The Head Cook was approached and handed a questionnaire (appendix vi) to try and establish her views on the new policies and how well they are managing to keep within the guidelines.
Unfortunately the response (appendix vii) was not overly satisfactory however the internet revealed the views of a cook from Kidbrook School under the heading Nora’s notes (appendix viii) and she certainly has a much more positive approach with useful suggestions for achieving the targets and her attitude is more upbeat.
Part of the cook’s/school’s role is the sourcing of satisfactory supplies and Hampshire County Council are using a number of local suppliers in terms of fruit, vegetables, dairy produce, meats and fish. However not all supplies come from Hampshire and some are sourced from surrounding counties. Examples of local suppliers are included (see appendix ix). Hampshire County Council is the first council in the country to have been awarded a ‘Good Egg’ Award (see appendix xi and xii – last page) by compassion in world farming. Previously this award has gone to Marks&Spencer, Waitrose and The Eden Project. The council are now sourcing all their free range eggs from ‘Fluffetts Farm’ in Fordingbridge. The free range farm now supplies all of the 32 secondary, 446 primary and special schools together with the 4 Hampshire care homes.
Menus and prices, where available, show what’s on offer at Aldworth Science College (appendix iv, iva and xiii) together with 3 week choice including specials from Suffolk county council (appendix iii) and one from another Hampshire school (appendix v).
Two Surveys were taken to see if there has been any change in student’s feelings towards school meals and healthy eating and also to see if there is any change in two specific age groups. The survey questioned 15 male and 15 female students in years 3&4 from a local Basingstoke school and year 8 from Aldworth Science College. The questions and results are shown on the next page.
The questionnaire then went on to ask the two age groups their preferences with regard to available food, their own personal choices and how things could be improved.
Years 3 and 4 said their favourite food to be brought at school was crisps, chocolate, ice pops, apples and pears. Year 8s preferred sausage rolls, pizza, hot dogs, burgers, brownies, milkshake, orange juice and apple juice.
Given the opportunity, years 3 and 4 would like to have the following more often for school lunch: hot dogs, burgers, pies, chips, pizza, and roast dinner. Whereas year 8s would like pizza, sausage rolls, vegetarian meals, wraps, ethnic food, pasta, sea food and subway type items.
What would you like to see in the school vending machines? Years 3 and 4 went for crisps, sweets, chocolate, fruit bars, donuts, cake and drinks. Whereas year 8s wanted sandwiches, wraps, salad bowls and smoothies.
What encouragement would you need to eat more frequently in the school canteen? In answer to this question, years 3 and 4 said a wider range of better and nicer food. They also wanted bigger portions. Year 8s wanted a greater variety, a subway set-up, no queues, lower prices and an improved dining area.
Most liked foods, not necessarily available at school, were for years 3 and 4: pizza, fish fingers, chicken nuggets, lasagne, McDonalds and chocolate. Year 8s preferred chips, pasta, pizza, wraps, burgers, ethnic foods, flapjacks and brownies.
Least popular foods boiled down to vegetables and some cheeses.
When asked for suggested improvements, year 8s wanted staggered lunchtimes, longer time to choose and eat, advanced food ordering and improved surroundings. Years 3 and 4 wanted bigger portions with more time to eat them, more tables outside and a wider range of drinks.
The final question was based around what should be available at the tuck shop. Year 8s wanted more snack type meals of soup and roll, salad bar, stir fry, jacket potatoes, pasta, baguettes and more ethnic food. However, years 3 and 4 wanted penguins, crisps, chocolate, donuts, juice, jelly, ice pops, sweets and fruit.
A Healthy School Meal
Selected Meal: Tuna And Pasta Bake (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 sachet Colman’s Tuna & Pasta Bake Recipe Mix
225g (8oz) Pasta
425ml (¾ pint) semi skimmed milk
200g (7oz) tinned tuna, drained
115g (4oz) canned sweetcorn
80g grated cheese
Regular bag of crisps (excluded as not a healthy ingredient)
(Mix contains no artificial colours, no artificial preservatives, no added MSG and no hydrogenated fat.)
How To Cook:
- Cook the pasta according to the given instructions
- Tip sachet contents into a saucepan.
- Add a splash of the milk and mix well, stir in remaining milk.
- Bring sauce to the boil, stirring continuously.
- Add tuna, sweetcorn and drained cooked pasta.
- Simmer for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Pour into a heatproof dish. Top with grated cheese.
- Place under a hot grill until golden.
- Once piping hot serve with crusty bread or salad.
Analysis:
The Tuna & Pasta Bake was tasted by six people, all of which enjoyed the flavour and the combination of sweetcorn and tuna with the sauce. Although it was not an overly colourful dish, the presentation was still pleasing and the mixed grouping of textures was a good balance.
For the graph on the previous page, I have taken the nutritional values from the tuna & pasta bake mix (pink), sweetcorn (blue) and tuna (green). Then combined the figures for each nutrient and divided these by four as this is a four person meal. The resultant figures have then been compared to adult GDAs (Guideline Daily Amounts) which shows that overall this meal is a healthy option being well within the recommended figures. In terms of producing this meal for schools, there would be a further improvement as far as salts and sugars are concerned, particularly by using fresh sweetcorn and fresh fish. The pasta used gives energy. The sweetcorn provides vitamins. The tuna provides protein and minerals. The cheese provides calcium. All of these, we have already seen, are required as a daily healthy eating meal regime. The removal of a bag of crisps, to top the recipe, was to reduce both the fat and salt intake and is not vital for this recipe. An alternative to add colour and goodness would be to include rings of sliced tomato.
Conclusion
Analysis of Research
My research has found out information that I was not aware of but I have also discovered differing opinions as to how good or not so good the new policy is proving. Jamie Oliver was the instigator that brought about this change which has led to price increases and funding being switched from the Government to local councils. The policy is still changing, growing and evolving and completion dates have now been put back to 2011. There does not appear to be in place any form of checking that schools are adhering to this policy since 2001. School cooks are of the opinion that the amount of children eating school meals has dropped since the policy introduction, however, the Daily Echo of the 16th May 2008 states otherwise (appendix xiv). The information reported in it from Evelyn Cook (Food Development Officer to HC3S) claims that between autumn terms of 2006 and 2007 more than 1500 extra children in Hampshire ate school dinner, rising from 27,787 to 29,371. The head cook at Aldworth Science College, however, claims the numbers have reduced. The new menus were put to the test at Cherbourg Primary School in Eastleigh. They claimed that the number of children for schools meals has been rising year on year. Although no figures or evidence were put forward to support this claim. The Daily Telegraph of the 31st May 2008 (appendix xv) shows another side to the story where cooks believe they are being let down by inadequate funding and cannot achieve the 50p target due to rising food costs, a global phenomenon, and prices will continue to increase even further both to produce and buy.
As a result of the implementation of the policy, there will be health improvements for those concerned, however, the school meals are only a small portion of children’s daily intake and effects, if any, will be difficult to monitor and measure and will not be seen for some time in the future.
‘When the campaign was launched the Government jumped at it when Jamie Oliver championed his cause but now that the publicity has gone quite, the Government has ditched the idea.’ Claimed Antony Worral Thompson (TV Chef) (appendix xv). The surveys revealed that children miss the old (unhealthy food) more so in years 3 and 4, whereas, year 8s appear to be more in tune with the new policy. All age groups, however, were looking for bigger portions. Whilst the policy is now law and will remain, there appears to be no monitoring system. It is no doubt a good idea as there has been a steady increase in obesity and risk of diabetes by eating the wrong types of food. Schools could do more to make food more fun/trendy, for example, for the younger ones, smiley faced potatoes, patterns on pies/pizzas etc. Older children are harder to please but by making surroundings more restaurant like with better décor with a more mature dining area instead of rows of long tables and bare walls possibly based on a theme could encourage the children to enjoy their food. For Aldworth Science College, much could be done to improve the pond and garden, seating in the dining area and the décor. Aldworth Science College has a nice choice of food although the questionnaire revealed a need for more ethnic food which does not appear to have filtered through to the cook. It will be nice to be able to reduce or at least hold prices as they are but we have to accept that food prices are still going up, however in comparison to buying food out of school, the school option is slightly cheaper. It is fairly clear that there was an initial burst of enthusiasm but things have now quietened down and support from the Government appears to have ceased. Reports vary widely as to whether more or less children are having school meals and it would appear that those who have the responsibility for rolling out the policy claim success with increasing numbers, whereas, those at the front line, i.e. the cooks, tell a different story (appendix xiv). There were the scenes on television where some parents were seen to be passing McDonalds, KFC and fish and chips through the school railings but this is no longer reported in the news. Although change in some areas of the countries looks like being a hard slog and no one appears to be in control and leading the campaign.
I think school meals are healthy because fatty foods such as hot dogs and burgers have been limited, fully cooked meals have been introduced and a bigger range of baguettes have appeared. Obesity is a major problem in this country with hundreds of children being overweight. Diabetes is on the increase so schools are doing more to ensure children are having at least one healthy meal a day. Overall, I believe that school meals are now healthier than they were as the amount of sugar has been cut down, this reduces the risk of diabetes and tooth decay. The amount of fat has been cut down; this reduces the amount of heart disease. The amount of salt has been cut down; this reduces the amount of high bloody pressure which can lead to heart disease and strokes. The amount of fruit and vegetables has been raised dramatically; this increases the children’s intake of vitamins and minerals. All this leads to a diet giving children at least one third of their daily intake in a healthier and more balanced format.
Evaluation And Review
From the beginning this appeared to be an enormous project and I was unable to grasp the idea of exactly where to start and how to proceed. Things came to a head at parents evening where my parents discovered how far behind I was and at that point my father took control of the situation and gave me direction in how to deal with something of this scale. Information has been collected from the internet, newspapers, magazines, other schools, a questionnaire for the head cook at Aldworth Science College and questionnaires to students in years 3 and 4 at a Junior School in Basingstoke and year 8 at Aldworth Science College together with handouts from my subject teacher.
From the results obtained the only thing that is clear is that the introduction of the new policy will be of healthier benefit to all those concerned. The results of the questionnaires and surveys all seem to differ depending on where the information comes from or who was spoken to, with the Government and council claiming high successes with increased numbers of students having school meals and how successful and enthusiastic the students have been with all the new items introduced. When surveyed, however, there were the usual likes and dislikes as far as food is concerned and the number of students having school meals, according to the cooks, has decreased which is probably a more reliable source as they are the ones preparing and serving the food.
Once the planning problems were overcome the coursework went reasonable well, apart from the fact that not all handouts were given at the beginning, some were received towards the very end which then had to be slotted in to already complete sections. Delays were also increased because of the difficulties in obtaining the results of questionnaires and surveys from other people.
If I was to do this coursework again I would work on the coursework as soon as I got it, this would ensure that stress and pressure levels were kept to a minimum and there would be plenty of time if things were to go wrong.
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Daily Echo. 16th May 2008.
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Daily Telegraph. 31st May 2008.
