A pioneering scheme by Hull City Council to introduce healthier menus in schools appears to have been rejected by pupils.
In February the city launched a scheme to replace unhealthy school meals, such as hot dogs, fish fingers and meatballs, with healthier options, such as macaroni bake, chicken risotto, savoury cheese wedge, turkey curry, salad and naan bread.
But four weeks after the healthy menus were introduced in the city’s 79 primary schools, the number of children on school meals fell by nearly a quarter, with one primary school reporting take-up down from 50% to 15%.
A spokeswoman for the council said it now planned to review the scheme, introduce some changes to the menu and do more marketing of the change to parents, but she stressed the council would not be going back on the principle.
“It is a bit unfortunate that some of these meals have not gone down too well. We are looking at ways we can make slight changes,” she said.
She also pointed out that more children generally brought in packed lunches as the weather started to get warmer.
The council also today introduced its scheme, announced in February, to provide free meals to all primary school pupils.
It is the first local authority in the country to do this, with primary schools serving free breakfasts and lunches to all pupils, plus free snacks and fruit at after-school clubs.
by Nic Paton
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