Boost healthy eating with free school meals for all

Published on Wednesday 16 January 2008 20:32

There is no question that more urgency is needed from schools, but also government, to ensure all our children are able to eat healthily at school (your report, 15 January). However, alongside further improvements in the quality of school meals and the dining environment, more action is needed to remove the cost barriers that discourage children from taking school meals.

Previous Scottish Government research found cost was a key factor putting off nearly one in three secondary pupils who chose not to take a school meal. Given this, and the fact that less than half of children living in poverty currently receive a free healthy school meal, it is clear that the introduction of universal free school meals must be a key part of future strategy to boost healthy eating at school. The Scottish Government's free school meals pilot in primary schools is a massive step forward, but no time should now be lost in rolling out free school meals to all pupils.

As the government launches its National Food Debate, it is surely right that ensuring all our children have a healthy diet, whatever their home circumstances, should be central to any national food policy.

JOHN DICKIE

Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland

MARION DAVIS

One Parent Families Scotland

RACHEL JURY

Poverty Alliance

c/o Duke Street, Glasgow