Improving School Nutrition Standards

School Nutrition Standards

In April 2001 new minimum standards were set for school lunch meals. The standards state that there should be at least 2 items from each food group on offer, these include;

• Starchy foods (rice, pasta, bread, potatoes) – at least one must not be cooked in oil.
• One portion of fruit.
• One portion of vegetables – this does not include potatoes.
• Fish at least twice a week.
• Red meat at least 3 times a week.
• Free drinking water
• Hot food, especially during the cold months.
• Milk.

These standards were set to ensure that children would receive a healthy balanced and nutritionally sound diet.

Fat and Nutrition

There are forty different types of fatty acids which are either saturated or unsaturated. The difference between the two depends upon how the carbon and hydrogen atoms are arranged.

Saturated Fat

All carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen atoms Solid at room temperature e.g. butter

Unsaturated Fat

No all carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen. The fat is therefore less stable and can be broken down more easily. There are 2 main types of unsaturated fats

Monounsaturated Fat
e.g. oleic acid found in most animal and plant fats and oils. e.g. olive oil

Polyunsaturated Fat
e.g. linoleic and linolenic acids Mainly found in vegetables Linoleic acid is present in corn, soya bean and sunflower oil. Linolenic is present in vegetable oils and oily fish such as mackerel and salmon

Current Government dietary guidelines call for a reduction in the consumption of saturated fats and an increased intake of mono and poly unsaturated fats.

Making simple modifications to the diet, for example consuming skimmed milk instead of whole and choosing low fat spreads, can reduce your saturated fat intake. Using olive oil and consuming more oily fish can increase your unsaturated fat intake.

‘5 a day’

‘5 a day’ is probably the most well known national guideline for fruit and vegetable consumption. However, very few people know what a 1 portion actually is. Below are some examples of what counts as a portion:

• 1 medium apple
• 3 celery sticks
• ½ a large courgette
• 8 cauliflower florets
• 3 heaped tbsp of canned sweetcorn
• 1 slice of melon (2-inch slice)
• 2 kiwi fruits
• 7 cherry tomatoes 3 whole dried apricots
• 1 handful of vegetable sticks
• 3 heaped tbsp of cooked kidney beans

Remember vegetables and fruit are low in fat and calories, high in fibre and low in sodium. Eating more of them is a positive and enjoyable step towards achieving a healthy diet. More information about ‘5 a day’ is available at www.dh.gov.uk/healthtopics

The fruit and vegetables listed above may give you some ideas for the school lunch box e.g. cherry tomatoes, dried fruit, vegetable sticks.

The Role of Calcium in the Diet

During rapid growth in adolescence additional calcium is required. A generous intake of calcium during the teens and twenties has been show to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis in later life.

Dairy products are the main supplies of readily available calcium in the diet. The calcium in milk, cheese and yoghurt can be readily absorbed.

Carbohydrate – ConsciousConsumers

The concept of regulating carbohydrate intake has become a food issue. An estimated 3 million UK consumers have now adopted ‘low carbohydrate’ diets.

The term ‘low carbohydrate’ is not legally defined. A ‘low carbohydrate’ diet generally means a reduced consumption of refined or processed high glycaemic index carbohydrates. As the term ’low carbohydrate’ is not a legally defined term it is better to state reduced carbohydrate or low glycaemic index food.

High glycaemic index carbohydrates are foods such as sugars, white breads, cooked potatoes, biscuits, cakes and muffins.

Foods encouraged for those following a reduced carbohydrate diet are less refined or less processed low glycaemic index foods such as fruits, vegetables and intact grains which contain dietary fibre.

Foods rich in high glycaemic carbohydrate are broken down quickly during digestion which causes a sharp rise in blood sugar. The body now has lots of energy available to be used. However, if this energy is not expended straight away it will eventually be stored as body fat. In contrast low glycaemic foods are broken down slowly during digestion causing a gradually increase in blood sugar levels. Low GI foods are believed to help assist with satiety and appetite control and reduce the urge to snack between meals.

Cooking and Nutrition

Below are a few tips on improving cooking practices.

Reducing fat consumption:

1. Use low-fat dairy products, e.g. yogurt (instead of cream in dishes), cheeses (e.g. cottage), skimmed and semi-skimmed milk in cooking and for normal consumption.
2. Avoid fried foods, and grill or bake instead.
3. Make use of low fat spreads as a substitute for margarine and butter.
4. Make more use of fat-reduced products, e.g. canned fish in brine, low fat salad dressings.
5. Use semi-skimmed milk and milk powder.
6. Do not add butter to cooked vegetables this adds unnecessary saturated fat.

Reducing sugar content:

1. Include more naturally sweet foods, e.g. fruits, in meals, without adding more sucrose.
2. Use sugar-reduced products, such as fruit canned in fruit juice, jams and other spreads.
3. Gradually reduce the amount of sugar normally added to items such as cakes and biscuits.

Increase dietary fibre:

1. Use wholegrain cereal products in cooking e.g. wholemeal flour instead of white, wholegrain rice and wholemeal pasta.
2. Use wholemeal or wheatmeal bread instead of white.
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables.
4. Add a little bran to soups and casseroles.
5. Use pulses more often.

Eat less salt:

1. Try alternative flavours to salt (e.g. spices and herbs) when cooking.
2. Use reduced salt products e.g. lo salt
3. Reduce the amount of salt added to cooked items, such as vegetables and soups, and the amount added to meals at the table.
4. Reduce the number and amount of foods eaten that have had salt added as part of their processing, e.g. bacon, sausages and processed meats.

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