Primary school children in reception, year one and year two will get free school lunches from September.
Free primary school meals was one of the recommendations of a review of school food by two founders of the Leon restaurant chain for the Department for Education.
It concluded that packed lunches were nearly always less nutritious than a cooked meal, and that giving all children free lunches would raise academic standards.
In fact, The School Food Plan website claims that just 1 per cent of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food.
It reads: “Many parents mistakenly imagine that a packed lunch is the healthiest option. In fact, it is far easier to get the necessary nutrients into a cooked meal – even one of mediocre quality. Only 1 per cent of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food.
“This country faces a serious health crisis caused by bad diet. Almost 20 per cent of children are already obese by the time they leave primary school at 11. Diet-related illnesses are putting a huge strain on the nation’s coffers – costing the NHS £10billion every year. We need to tackle the problem now, before the costs (both personal and financial) become too heavy to bear.
“Many studies have shown that hunger affects concentration, and that well-nourished children fare better at school. The government has agreed to allocate money to help schools in the poorest areas establish breakfast clubs. And it has promised to look at extending free school meal entitlement, to ensure that the children of the so-called ‘working poor’ do not go hungry at lunch.”
However, the site suggests: “It means cooking food that is both appetising and nutritious; making the dining hall a welcoming place; keeping queues down; allowing children to eat with their friends; getting them interested in cooking and growing.
“The only person with the power to orchestrate all this is the head teacher. They need support from their governors and leadership team, but if the head isn’t behind changing the food culture in a school, it won’t happen.
“The vast majority of head teachers already believe that good food is vital to children’s health and academic achievement, and to the broader life of the school. But many feel they lack the knowledge and experience to improve their food culture. So this plan is aimed primarily at giving head teachers the practical support, advice and information they need.
“Good food provision in schools has been shown to lead not only to healthier children, but to improved attainment.”