Chocolate, sweets and crisps should be banned from schools, according to the School Food Trust.

The panel’s recommendations, which cover school food other than lunch, were announced today to reinforce tougher standards for school meals that will be introduced in September.

Suzi Leather, chairman of the trust, said: “New food standards will improve school meals. But they cannot succeed if pupils are surrounded with chocolate, crisps and drinks that fill them up with sugar and fat during the school day.”

Other recommendations include making fruit and vegetables accessible to children in all school outlets and the availability of free drinking water.

Drinks should be limited to skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, pure fruit juices, yoghurts and milk drinks with less than 5% added sugar, according to the trust.

Caterers, food groups, and dieticians have been asked to respond to the recommendations, which were announced by schools minister Jacqui Smith.

Views will be sought on what food should be sold in vending machines, tuck shops, at break times, breakfast clubs and after school.

Smith said: “The School Food Trust has produced a robust set of standards. It is important that we now seek the views of a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that they are effective, practical and in the best interests of children’s health.”

See the recommendations
http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/tsf_1.php

Recommended food
http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/tsf_2.php

Dietary fact sheet
http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/tsf_3.php

Full report
http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/images/downloads/nonlunch.pdf

By Tom Bill

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