Has Wandsworth been listening to Jamie Oliver?

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as recent survey shows they spend the most on school dinners

School dinners are currently on most parents minds if they have been watching Channel 4's programme Jamie's School Dinners where Jamie Oliver has battled to launch his Feed ME Better campaign in schools in Greenwich.

A survey conducted by the Evening Standard has revealed that Wandsworth spends more on providing healthy ingredients in its school dinners than any other council in London.

Wandsworth spends 70 pence on the ingredients for each meal at the borough's schools. According to the newspaper the London average is 50 pence, with some boroughs spending as little as 37p for each meal.

Their research revealed that Camden spends 45p, Croydon 49p, Ealing 53.5p and Tower Hamlets 57p. The lowest spend of 37p was in Haringey.

The Council advise us that the budget for every school meal will increase to 73p at the beginning of April. This investment means that the contractor which provides meals to the borough's schools is able to prepare most meals on site at and use large quantities of fresh ingredients. Local schools now serve up very little pre-prepared, processed or frozen food.

Cabinet member for education Cllr Malcolm Grimston said: "Children at school in Wandsworth are being offered highly nutritious and healthy choices when it comes to school dinners. We are paying for fresh ingredients to be used in these meals - the vast majority of which are cooked from scratch on the day at each individual school kitchen.

"Eating a well balanced healthy meal is a vital part of the school day for our students. It helps children concentrate and ensures that they can perform to the highest possible academic standards."

March 17, 2005