KEY POINTS:
A high school is taking a leaf from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's book by introducing hot meals for students.
Reporoa College launches the scheme today with spaghetti bolognese, salad and garlic bread.
Chilli con carne and pork risotto are also on the four-week rotating menu, as is New Zealand favourite fish and chips (oven-baked to reduce the fat content).
The school's community liaison officer, Irene Nottage, said it was the first non-boarding school in the country to offer hot meals to students.
The initiative was part of a wider push to improve nutrition by the school, which is located in the township between Rotorua and Taupo.
She said the programme was similar to Oliver's school dinners campaign to ban junk food in schools in Britain and get children eating fresh and nutritious food.
"It's very much like that but it's a New Zealand version," said Ms Nottage.
Many of the school's students left home before 7am and got home late, having travelled for sports. The $5 meals would provide sustenance at lunchtime.
Ms Nottage said because the focus was on healthy eating, fat fryers were banned from the kitchen and experts were called in for advice on the menu.
"We'll have things like sausage, mash and mixed vegetables but we'll cook the sausages by boiling them first to get rid of the fat and then we'll grill them."
The Ministry of Education acting deputy secretary of schooling, Paul Burke, said the ministry provided guidelines promoting healthy eating in schools (Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids) but did not keep data on whether schools provided hot meals.
That decision was up to the boards of trustees and school principals.
On the menu
Monday: Sausage and mash with mixed vegetables.
Tuesday: Chicken curry with rice.
Wednesday: Beef and vegetable lasagne.
Thursday: Roast dinner.
Friday: Oven wedges with hamburger.
