Britain orders Jamie's school dinners for all

Jamie Oliver's petition to the government led to an overhaul.

This week the revolution in school meals started by chef Jamie Oliver's television series will be complete.

Secondary schools throughout Britain will have to abide by new rules on what food they provide.

It is a long way from Bradford in the 1880s, when free school meals were first given to the poor. Then, a meal meant porridge followed by bread and dripping. A "simple" dinner was served later in the day. The cost was limited to one old penny per pupil - in today's prices, 37p. The average cost of providing a dinner in 2009 is less than £5 ($12).

The new standards aim to give pupils healthy options. Deep-fried foods can only be served twice a week, sweet fizzy drinks are banned and at least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables must be served as part of lunch.

A sample menu from one school which has implemented the changes is revealing. The main meals are chilli con carne served with fluffy brown rice (or, as a vegetarian alternative, fresh vegetable mornay bake with mashed potato). To follow there is apple cake with warm vanilla sauce or fresh fruit pieces.

Pizza is on the menu, and theoretically pupils could eat it every day. It is not of the "greasy spoon" variety, though. The new standards set maximum levels of fat, salt and sugar and minimum levels of nutrients such as calcium and vitamins.

"We want to make sure children are eating a healthy, nutritious lunch at school because we know this helps their concentration in the classroom and their behaviour at home and at school," said the Schools Minister Diana Johnson.

The school meals service has been difficult. The Liberal government in 1906 passed legislation allowing all local authorities to serve free school meals but provision was patchy.

In the 1940s, it became national policy to deliver a nutritionally balanced school meal to all children which gave them 40 per cent of their daily protein and 33 per cent of their energy needs.

This largely remained in force until 1980, when Margaret Thatcher - known as the "milk snatcher" when she withdrew free milk from all children over 7 in 1971 - decided to remove the rest of the food as well.

Only after Jamie Oliver's intervention did ministers become serious about standards. On the day the chef delivered a petition to the then prime minister, Tony Blair announced a £280 million revamp for the service.

The drive for healthier eating proved disastrous, with a 5 per cent drop in take-up in the first year but that drop has levelled off. Will it work? The proof of the pudding will - as they say - be in the eating.

- INDEPENDENT