Children’s nutrition - Schools can benefit from healthy meals

PARENTS and schools have much to learn from an unexpected bonus emerging from TV chef Jamie Oliver’s drive to rid schools of junk food - a big improvement in children’s behaviour.

In an extraordinary domino effect of the experiment aimed at providing nutritious meals, British teachers say pupils are concentrating more on their lessons and squabbling less in the playground. After eating a healthy lunch, instead of crisps or chips, children are apparently returning to afternoon lessons ready to learn.

The provision of canteens in Irish secondary schools is by no means uniform.