We didn’t have school dinners in New Zealand – not like you enjoyed (endured?) over here, anyway. We had a ‘tuck shop’ and in the morning you’d place your order, then your food would be delivered to the classroom in a little paper bag – usually dotted with oily stains.
The fare consisted of greasy mince pies, soggy ham rolls, bags of crisps, toffee bars that pulled your fillings out, and Twinkies. If you’re unfamiliar with these delightful 80’s American treats, they’re basically sponge tubes filled with a sugar-laden fake-cream filling. I think the only menu requirement was that the foods must contain absolutely zilch nutritional value.
Although it still sounds better than the fare you lot were presented with – lumpy mashed potato, greasy pizza slices, and slimy tapioca pudding. Thankfully, times have changed and we have a much better understanding of what our little ones should and shouldn’t eat.
I must admit I had a little niggle of worry when I first heard about the introduction of free lunches for infant school-aged children (otherwise known by the catchy title of ‘Universal Infant Free School Meals’, or UIFSM). I was always very careful to make sure Big Sis’ packed lunch was healthy and balanced, and last term I made a real effort to cut down on the amount of sugar in there too. I just wasn’t convinced that the school would be able to meet the same standards.
But after reading up about THE CHILDREN’S FOOD TRUST, I feel a lot happier, as the focus really is on nutrition, and teaching long-term healthy eating habits. I love that our young children are being taught the importance of balanced meals, which will give them the knowledge and the motivation to continue to make good food choices throughout the lives.
In the short term this will help with their energy and concentration levels, and, longer term, will have a huge impact on overall health and obesity levels of our younger generations. It’s also encouraged me to ‘up my game’ at home.
With the money we’re saving on packed lunches, I plan to prepare more of our evening meals from scratch, and with fresh produce, rather than relying on pre-prepared, but much less nutritious, alternatives. Like this delicious looking BUTTERNUT AND SAGE RISOTTO.
Delicious AND good for you? You can’t argue with that! What are your #SchoolMealMemories?
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