BBC News Updated every minute of every day

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:54 GMT 17:54 UK

This strategy will have huge health benefits for those that do take part but the only way is to continue because changing the obesity culture could take five to ten years as does almost every other major cultural change. Govt.s only serve for 5 years so for almost anything to work we need cross party agreement on most long term objectives or Parliament (MPs of every party) will continue to fail our democracy in school meals as in everything else.

[Freedomknight], Rayleigh, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:53 GMT 17:53 UK

"What should be done to increase the take-up of school meals?"

Surely a question assuming the answer?! Why should it be assumed that having everyone eating school food is 'the ideal',do we worry that eg factory workers sometimes bring their own lunches in?

No,there's not really a reason for school dinners at all,let alone trying to make them a universal experience. Kids from poor parents?--surely providing food FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN is what the recent hikes in taxpayer support are about?

Liz, London

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:42 GMT 17:42 UK

Surely the issue here isn't whether children should be eating school dinners, but whether parents can be educated to provide their children with healthy food at all. And, no to free school meals too. Feeding your own children with your own money (rather than the tax payers) cant be that much to ask for can it? Oh, wouldn't it be nice if people started taking on some personal responsibilities again rather than rely on the state for everything!

Ali C, London, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:38 GMT 17:38 UK

If schools get 37p for each school dinner, where does the remaining £1.53 go to that I have paid for? My daughter is on packed lunches now, she said she didn't like the school dinners as they are too unhealthy (pizza and chips a lot of the time), tiny portions (not all primary school kids are 4, they do get older and taller) and tiny glasses of water or juice.

Offer healthy and appetising food - if us parents can do it while getting ready for work, surely school staff can do it as their job?

[arilaslover], Manchester, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:33 GMT 17:33 UK

We have 2 children and cost is certainly a factor, they should be very cheap.

The other matter is that because the Government says people should do things, does not mean they will obey. This collection of control freaks, well meaning or not need to understand that they are dealing with humans, not robots. Children and teenagers are very independent and things need to be done more slowly, so scrap the 'Directives and Targets' and adopt common sense , then you may get results.

Chris Parker, Bucks

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:32 GMT 17:32 UK

One of the most important components of education at the primary and secondary school levels is learning to socialize with others.
Eating together is a major part of that bonding;the group experience is even more important than the food.
In my family, the indispensable daily ritual is dinner time. That is the occasion when family truly becomes "family".

[pontiac1], Little Neck, United States

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 16:11 GMT 17:11 UK

It's alright beating the drum for school meals but the truth is where councils once fed children UNHEALTHY muck, they're now feeding them 'healthy' muck.

My 12 year old niece now has her dinner at grandma's as her packed lunches were inspected for contraband (a snack pack of raisins was confiscated as they 'could be mistaken' for sweets), while the school canteen serves up mushy sandwiches and tinned soup and the teaching staff order their own food IN.

Emma Crouch, Chester

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:54 GMT 16:54 UK

Remembering back in the 50's I saw a few kids without money to pay or packets of sandwiches. Keep school dinners, and make them free, wholesome, and the milk,give that to.

[dogsarebarking], Poland


Here in the U.S. lunches school lunches are extremely cheap ($1 where I live), but they also had a free lunch (the same food everyone else received) for those who could not afford it. Surely they must have this where you live too?

Mark

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:54 GMT 16:54 UK

My 15 year old son is not interested in school dinners because of the time it takes. Queuing, choosing, getting a seat, it all eats into time that could be spent either with a ball or a girl. He takes a healthy packed lunch which I understand is eaten 'on the hoof' during a game of footie mostly.

Kate Cooper

I think the above sort of explains the changes in 'life' and why school meals are on the decline!

[CamberwellBeauty]

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:49 GMT 16:49 UK

maybe the governments standard response to every problem should be used, ie taxation. simply tax parents of children who don't want school dinners, so you force the uptake of school meals, benefitting the catering contractor, or on the other hand make more money in taxes from non school meal eaters, which from a govt point of view, its a win win situation.

Mr Angry, croydon, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:25 GMT 16:25 UK

My Son's nearly new school canteen has a seated capacity of less than 10% of the school. He shuns it & takes a packed lunch because it is so small it often takes the entire lunch break to get served. It is also more expensive than the high street so is viewed as a rip off by the students, who all head for the high street as soon as they are old enough to leave the premises at lunchtime. No wonder the chips win!

Gill, Sutton

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:18 GMT 16:18 UK

Taking up school meals in primary and secondary schools in UK or in any parts of Europe and world may depend on many factors, including economic, social and environmental conditions of that society as a whole and the differences of meals and services inside and outside schools. The decrease in secondary school take up meals is natural, because pupils in this age feel that they are matured enough to be more independent, and go wherever they want and examine meals in shops outside schoo.

Gholamhosain Tasbihi, Tabriz, Iran

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:16 GMT 16:16 UK

My grandaughter is at infant school and does not like fizzy pop
The school will not let her take in bottled water but the school is willing to sell bottled water to her (at a profit)

I wonder now why school meals are being disregarded - the meals are not offered for the goodness of our children - they are there to boost the funds within the school

Brian Kendal

The school should provide drinking water free of charge Brian. I think what they are doing is illegal.

Carolyn, Edinburgh

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:11 GMT 16:11 UK

I don't understand, i had sandwiches, my kids have sandwiches, one meal a day in the early evening is all thats required.

Randolph Muller, Bournemouth, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 10 July, 2009, 15:09 GMT 16:09 UK

I am a dinner lady at my local primary school, even thought hot food is steamed in a microwave, the food generally tastes good. There is not added salt and sugar (although it would probably make it taste better) but there is always cold milk, fresh fruit and most of the puddings, either hot or cold, contain fruit. The take up at the school is low as the meal costs £2 per child per day, which I find expensive, especially when you have more than one child at the school.

Claire, Crawley