Press Release: HEALTHY SCHOOL MEALS ACTION PLAN

- Welsh Labour to target child obesity and unhealthy diets

MORE healthy food is on the menu in local schools thanks to the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government’s Action Plan to give schoolchildren a balanced and nutritious diet.

Neath AM Gwenda Thomas is backing Welsh Labour Education Minister Jane Hutt’s seven point action plan to improve food and nutrition in Neath's schools. The Appetite for Life Action Plan will see a £6.6 million investment in healthy school food across Wales over the next two years.

The seven point plan includes:

• Setting new nutrient, food and drink standards – including offering more fruit
• Improving catering staff training on healthy foods
• A school wide approach, involving pupils and staff and strengthening food education in the curriculum
• Raising awareness over healthy diets in schools
• Looking at sourcing healthy food locally
• Calculating the costs of a healthy school meal
• Establishing a regular review to monitor progress in delivering more healthy food

GWENDA THOMAS AM said:

‘’The Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government wants to see healthier food on offer in local schools. Improving the health of our children is one of the Assembly Government’s top priorities. All of us know the importance of a balanced diet and how essential it is to children and young people if they are to grow into healthy adults.

‘’That is why I am backing this action plan – we need higher standards of nutrition in school meals to improve children’s diets.

‘’This plan will look at the best way of delivering healthier school meals and improving the diets of our children. Training staff, strict health standards, using healthy local food sources and raising awareness about healthy foods are all essential in combating the problems of child obesity and poor diets.

‘’Good progress is already being made in some schools with the free healthy school breakfast scheme and an increase in the number of fruit tuck shops and water coolers on offer.

‘’I look forward to seeing these plans in action in schools across my constituency.’’