The new golden age: universal infant free school meals and compulsory cooking in the curriculum begin
5 Sep 2014
A golden age for school food has begun, with cooking on the curriculum and infant free school meals rolled out across the country.
It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve made it. A huge thank you to everyone, in particular schools, cooks, and caterers, who have worked so hard over the past few months to make this a reality.
Of course, there will be teething troubles – and this is just the beginning for many schools, as they begin the journey to create a great food culture. There is lots of support at hand to help you. Access the UIFSM support service, including a free helpline (0800 680 0080), run by the Children’s Food Trust – find full details of support available at www.schoolfoodplan.com/toolkit . For practical advice and inspiration on how to deliver brilliant cooking and food education lessons, go to www.schoolfoodplan.com/www
The number of positive stories from schools far and wide sharing their stories of universal infant free school meals success has been overwhelming. A quick glance on twitter reveals many photos of great school food, from classic roasts to glorious rainbow coloured salad bars.
This is a important moment for our children. They now have the opportunity to enjoy delicious and nutritious meals in school, which will set them up for better learning, better health, and overall improved life chances.
Here is a taster of the press coverage so far, from an open letter of support signed by major children’s campaign groups and teaching unions, to an interview with David Laws, the Schools Minister:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/letters-nato-invasion-hits-south-wales-9707268.html