Government to give guidance on school packed lunches

The Government is reportedly planning to give parents advice on making a healthy packed lunch.

The School Food Trust, which works with the government, hopes the tips, contained in leaflets, will steer parents away from providing chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks.

Leaflets are to be given to schools and teachers as well as parents, according to the BBC.

It follows Jamie Oliver’s call for the government to give schools the power to confiscate packed lunches at the gates if they are found to contain junk food.

About 4.6 million children eat a packed lunch every day, but the government says many lunchboxes contain too much salt, sugar and saturated fat.

Figures suggest 25% of children may be obese and a diabetes risk by 2020.

Judy Hargadon, chief executive at the School Food Trust, told the BBC: "A simple leaflet that helps you talk to your children about it, that helps you have a dialogue with the school about it, is what we're trying to do.”

The leaflets will reportedly recommend:

• one portion of vegetables or salad and one portion of fruit
• one portion of a milk or dairy item such as milk, cheese, yoghurt
• one portion of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter
• one portion of a starchy food, such as bread, pasta, rice, noodles or potato

Jamie Oliver criticises parents for kids' 'disgraceful' packed lunches >>

Junk food ban may push contract caterers out of schools >>

Government pledges £240m more for school meals >>

By Daniel Thomas

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