Four months ahead of schedule, the school meals in Glasgow secondary schools now meet the nutritional standards set by the Scottish Executives Hungry for Success guidelines. The deadline is December 2006.
Pupils will now be able to choose from the traditional favourites like fish and chicken curry but also experiment with toasted mackerel and salad sandwich, chicken enchiladas and side salad, Mediterranean quiche, chicken tikka with boiled rice or a lamb and honey bap to name a few additions to the menu.
The new menu has been rolled out across all of Glasgow’s 29 Secondary schools—around 30,000 pupils are now able to enjoy the new dishes.
The school meal uptake in Glasgow secondary schools is currently around 65%.
Councillor Steven Purcell, at the launch to sample some of the nutritious schools meals, said: “Glasgow is very proud of the Fuel Zones in both our Primary and Secondary school and the health and diet of the pupils is something that we take very seriously.
“Since the Fuel Zone introduction in 1996 we have year on year increased the numbers of pupils eating school meals, but more importantly, now more than double choose a healthier option.
“The launch last year of the Rewards scheme reinforced the Council’s commitment to continue to encourage our pupils to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet. By the teenage years it gets increasingly more difficult to both keep them in school at lunchtime, but also to encourage them to opt for a healthy choice. The launch of the new menus should entice them to try something new.
“We already have free fruit, free milk, free breakfast’s and free mains-fed water coolers in Glasgow – now we have the most nutritious secondary school menus as well.
“Once again Glasgow leads the way.”
A new look for the school meal service (Fuel Zones) coincides with the launch of additional rewards for the online scheme to entice secondary school pupils to eat healthy and reward them for their efforts.
From the beginning of the new school term a Sony PSP games system, a six- month gym pass to Council facilities, portable iPod speakers and an iPod radio alarm – handy to wake-up pupils in time for the school day—are now on offer to some of the healthiest school pupils in the country.
The incentive scheme, rolled out by the Council to all 29 secondary schools in May 2005 in an effort to improve pupils’ eating habits, has received worldwide recognition, as well as a number of industry awards.
The first of its kind among local government initiatives in the school meal sector, the Fuel Zone Reward scheme has helped the Council sustain healthy eating throughout the school year.
Figures just released for January–June 2006 show that 160,000 healthy eating points were redeemed and over 800 rewards issued to pupils.
Fergus Chambers, Director of Direct and Care Services is delighted with the success of the Fuel Zone Rewards scheme and said today: “The response over the last year has been incredible with enquiries from all over the world and from a number of local authorities here and abroad. Anything that encourages youngsters to stay in school over break time and choose a healthy option deserves to be applauded.”
Other new developments this term will see chips and fizzy drinks off the daily menu (chips will only be available with fish on Fridays). Vending machines still offer fizzy drinks (60% water and fruit juices in machines at present) but the Council’s target is to remove all sugary, carbonated drinks from vending machines from August 2007.
The addition of plasma screens in the dining hall in all secondary schools—advertising the nutritious meal options available and healthy lifestyle messages, as well as music channels are seen as an additional tool to encourage pupils to stay in school for lunch and not be enticed by the local take away.
Original news release from glasgow.gov.uk
