Ninety-nine out of every 100 packed lunches being eaten by primary school children are reported to be unhealthy and failing to meet nutritional standards.
So what should a healthy lunch contain and what foods should be left out?
According to advice from the Food Standards Agency,a healthy packed lunch should include:
? Meat, fish or a dairy source of protein
? Starchy carbohydrate, such as a wholegrain sandwich, to provide energy
? At least one portion each of a fruit and vegetable or salad
? Water or milk to drink, but diluted fruit juice and yoghurt drinks or smoothies are acceptable
The key foods to avoid are:
? Sweets and chocolate
? Snacks, like crisps, with added salt/sugar/fat
? Sugary and fizzy drinks
? Deep-fried foods and processed meats
? White bread - if children won't eat brown, try whole white sliced bread
Nutritional standards for school meals were introduced in 2006 and standards for vending machines, breakfast clubs and tuck shops came into force a year later.
In 2008, strict nutrition content guidelines for primary schools were introduced and extended to secondary schools in September 2009.
健康的午餐盒包括什么?
報告指出每100份小學生的午餐飯盒有99份是不健康的且沒有達到營養標準。而健康的午餐應該包括什么又將去除什么?根據食品標準局建議,一份健康的午餐應包含下面這些食物:
1. 魚、肉、富含蛋白質的奶類
2. 富含碳水化合物的淀粉,象提供能量的全麥三明治
3. 水或牛奶飲品,稀釋的果汁、酸奶飲料或水果冰砂也可
主要避免以下食物:
1. 甜食、巧克力
2. 零食,象含鹽、糖、脂肪的薯片
3. 含糖并帶氣泡的飲料
4. 過度油炸食品和經過加工處理的肉類
5. 白色面包--如果孩子不喜歡棕色面包便選擇了純白的切片面包
2006年建立了學校飲食的營養標準,對自動售貨機、早餐店、糖果食品店進行了一年多的加強管理。
2008年制定了針對小學生的嚴格的營養含量標準,2009年9月這項標準又擴展到初中生。