- Dame Prue Leith has called for a total ban on school lunchboxes, describing the proposed measure as “draconian” but necessary because the contents cannot be policed.
- The broadcaster and food campaigner also stated that school meals should be free and compulsory for all children to foster healthy eating and a love of good food.
- Her comments come as school food standards in England undergo an overhaul to tackle childhood obesity and tooth decay, with free school meals expanding to all children on Universal Credit from September.
- Leith praised the Government and initiatives like the School Food Project for supporting school catering teams to deliver nutritious and appealing meals.
- An investigation by food charity Bite Back recently revealed that more than three-quarters of state secondary school menus in England breached current nutritional guidelines.
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