Cornwall school launches healthy eating campaign ahead of meal reforms
It comes after the government announced major school meal reforms from next September.
Camborne Science and International Academy is rewarding pupils for eating healthily, as part of a new campaign to get them choosing fresh food over processed options
It comes after the UK government announced major reforms to school dinners, including a ban on deep fried food and less high-sugar, high-fat options - alongside a push to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and fibre into meals.
The changes, which will come into force next September, are aimed at improving student health by altering what is served in school canteens nationwide.
Emma Haas, principal of Camborne Science International Academy, said the school is "thrilled" about the changes.
"It's something that we have been wanting to do for quite a long time," she said.
"We're really concerned about some of the food that students were eating both inside and outside of school, and school food hasn't been the healthiest.
"So for us it's a really, really positive thing that we are embracing."
The Academy is preparing for these changes with the launch of their real food campaign—a comprehensive initiative aimed at educating students and families on healthier eating habits. Although the transition in food offerings presents a significant change, Haas noted, "It's in our thinking it's not a big change at all." The school has been proactively addressing nutritional changes by familiarising students with healthier food choices and growing their own food.
The real food campaign extends over five-to-six weeks, with each focusing on a different health benefit of healthy eating; including improving mood, energy, sleep, and gut health.
Students receive food passports to track their consumption of non-ultra-processed foods, and are rewarded with stamps for embracing these healthier choices.
"At the moment we're talking to children about how their concentration will go up, how their sleep will improve, how their gut biome will be better, all of those types of things," Ms Haas said.
“We’re looking to see all of those health benefits, but we’re only a really small part of their food journey. So it's about really educating them about what types of foods they might eat outside of school as well as inside school.”
The school is also involving students in menu design and encouraging family participation in cooking sessions hosted at the school.
Ms Haas said she hopes that with recipe ingredient cards, families will continue embracing these changes at home.
"We're not trying to tell them: 'don't eat certain things,'" she said.
"But what we're trying to do is encouraging them to add more, what we are calling 'real foods' -so non-ultra-processed foods - into their diet on a regular basis, so that they're increasing the healthy options that are going into their diet.
"We're trying to show them how they can swap food into their diet quite easily."
The school are working on the campaign with a local GP and Falmouth University.
"It's about really educating them about what types of foods they might eat outside of school as well as inside school"
Ms Haas said she felt optimistic about how students would take the menu changes onboard.
"I think actually when you get them to taste really good food, they actually really like it and they're really interested in it," she said.
"We've beentrying to introduce different foods to them for quite a while and we've been growing our own food and their interest in food is widening because of that.
"So I think that they will actually embrace it quite well."
At the end of the campaign, Ms Haas said one tutor group from each year will win a specially prepared meal made from local, healthy ingredients. The academy is also interviewing a chef to work alongside their food council and students, ensuring investment in future menus.