There is a body of evidence to show that children and young people benefit from a nutritious diet not only in terms of health but also terms of education. The Welsh Assembly Government have recently published their strategy for school nutrition Appetite for Life. The WLGA and local government were represented on the group that put the strategy together.
The WLGA is hosting a national School Food Coordinator in partnership with the Assembly Government. The Coordinator will help local authorities implement the strategy and be a central point for the roll out of the improved nutritional standards. Part of the role of the Coordinator will also be to oversee the running of a national nutritional database for schools and local authorities. The database will allow caterers to ensure that the menus they provide in schools are meeting the new nutritional standards. The database will also provide access to recipes and meal planning ideas.
The Appetite for Life publication is available from the Welsh Assembly Government publication department. www.wales.gov.uk
For further information, please contact Teresa Filipponi