Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether any recent assessment has been made of the role of up-to-date School Food Standards in supporting children’s health, wellbeing and readiness to learn.
Minister of Education: My Department completed a review of the nutritional standards for school food in 2021. This was informed by a working group of health and educational school food experts to ensure alignment with government guidance on healthy eating. The public consultation document for this review referenced the benefits of a nutritious diet in terms of its positive influence on children’s cognitive development and academic performance. It also recognised the important contribution made by a healthy diet to reducing childhood obesity and the reduced risk of tooth decay and chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes. It was also noted that it can improve children’s mental health.
Whilst revised nutritional standards were agreed as part of this review, due to severe budgetary pressures, the necessary funding to take forward their implementation has not yet been available.
My officials are currently working with the cross-organisational Food in Schools Forum to explore how nutritional standards could be improved in a way that takes account of the severe financial pressures.
ENDS
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