Pupils: School Meals

Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance he has issued to schools on checking the contents of children’s home-made packed-lunches; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan
The Department has not issued guidance to schools on checking the contents of children’s home-made packed-lunches.

The School Food Trust guidance on food-based standards for school lunches contains advice to caterers and schools on how to ensure packed lunches they provide meet the standards. In addition, the Food Standards Agency has produced guidance on

providing healthy packed-lunches on its website.

Some schools have school food policies that ban certain products from being brought into school in packed lunches. If schools do want to adopt such policies, we would strongly recommend that they consult with parents.