News broke out this week of Martha Payne, a young students blog about her school dinners.  The full article can be read here.
One of the pictures of Martha’s lunch featured on her blog http://neverseconds.blogspot.co.uk/

What is shocking about this picture is not only the quantity of the food offered which is no where near enough to sustain the needs of a growing child, but what the meal actually consists of.  Does the school really think that a slice of pizza, a potato croquette, a bit of sweetcorn and a cupcake constitute a balanced meal? Where is the protein? Where are the vegetables?

Correct nutrition is so important at this stage of a child’s life.  They are growing at an alarming rate and have specific nutritional needs – for example to support the building of strong bones and development of the brain.  This requires protein, complex carbohydrate, fruits, vegetables and essential fats (like those found in salmon and avocados).  If these nutritional demands are not met there can be serious consequences later on in life.  These meals do not meet the needs of a growing child.

To top it off the meals provides are heavily processed, so as well as them not being balanced nutritionally, you also have to worry about all the additives and preservatives that are in them, which are not good for anyone, let alone children especially as as they are commonly associated with attention deficit problems.

You do not need a full plate of food, but you do need it to be healthy and that should not be so difficult.  We should be doing all we can to feed our children in the healthiest way possible.  It’s time to bring back real wholesome food.