INDEX education


Scientifi c studies have identifi ed a hormone called ghrelin that stimulates the brain to produce feelings of hunger. This increases the lure of high-calorie foods, which were essential to ancient man in order to provide the best chances of survival. Eating these types of food produces brain chemicals called opioids, which generate sensations of enjoyment – little wonder such foods can seem addictive. Children are even more susceptible to the allure of high-calorie foods because they are programmed by nature to grow as fast as possible until maturity. Ancient man’s need to hunt now takes people no further than the larder, where cravings can be fed all too easily. But just how damaging is such food to a child’s learning capability? It is widely recognised that diet plays a vital role in how all people feel and behave, but particularly children, who might not have learnt how to control their moods. Sugar creates a rush of energy followed by a sharp fall, and this fl uctuation is likely to affect concentration. It stands to reason that a ‘reservoir’ fi lled with slow- releasing fuel is far more effi cient than one delivering an


Foodfor thought W


Caroline Knight gets her teeth into the topical issue of school food: fuel for growing children


hat is it that makes sweet and fatty food so appealing?


The winning combination of tasty grub and cheerful dinner ladies at Tunbridge Wells Boys’ Grammar


erratic fl ood of power followed by a void. This is one reason why a healthy breakfast is an important start to a day. School meals have improved vastly over the last few years, and much of this can be attributed to the drive for healthy food spearheaded by Jamie Oliver. The celebrity chef’s campaign led to the creation of new legal standards for meals in schools. In his latest manifesto (www.jamieoliver.com, October 2011), he reveals that three million children now eat a school lunch every day, and these fi gures have continued to rise for the past three years. The manifesto also claims that a nutritious school lunch increases children’s concentration, improves their behaviour in class and therefore increases their level of achievement. There are fears, however, that new ‘academy’ schools, which are not bound by the regulations, are turning their backs on the recent drive for healthy eating and reverting to menus containing a higher


www.indexmagazine.co.uk getting married? – www.planningyourwedding.co.uk


proportion of fatty foods with lower nutritional benefi ts. The School Food Trust, a national charity and specialist advisor to Government on school meals and children’s food, has expressed concern that these schools might choose not to meet the national standards, perhaps by adding less healthy foods to menus or bringing back vending of chocolate and crisps. Chairman Rob Rees says, “We’re putting together the evidence on food at new academies for Government, so we need to hear from anyone with concerns…There are many academies that have been serving up great food for children for a long time – the important thing is that pupils at every academy get the healthy lunchtime they need. We’re keen to hear from parents, pupils, teachers, cooks….if they have concerns, and will make sure all this evidence goes to Government. It would be disastrous for our health services and economy if we turned back time to just fi ve years ago when


the revolution began.” (www. schoolfoodtrust.org.uk). Sevenoaks catering


company Independent Catering is celebrating 15 years of supplying nutritious school meals, and it attributes its success to adhering to a set of core values, including shunning undesirable additives and hydrogenated fats and using fresh food from local suppliers, such as Maidstone greengrocer RJ Kingsland. Its commitment to seasonal produce and animal welfare (the company uses eggs only from non-caged birds) was recently recognised by the Soil Association, which awarded the company bronze status. Meanwhile, the fact that it only supplies schools in Kent and Surrey (including Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar and the Boys’ Grammar, Judd, Knole Academy and Sevenoaks Primary School) allows Independent Catering to maintain a high level of service. Company founder Andrew Saunders believes the key to keeping prices affordable is


55


The INDEX magazine February 2012


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92