Doorway 1: Food & Drink

By 2020 the DCSF would like “…all schools to be models of healthy, local and sustainable food and drink produced and prepared on site (where possible), with strong commitments to the environment, social responsibility and animal welfare, and with increased opportunity to involve local suppliers.”

Schools are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles and are taking steps to improve the availability of healthy food and drink.

Over the last ten years the National Healthy Schools Programme has become one of the country’s most widely embraced initiatives in schools with more than 97% of schools nationally becoming involved in the programme and over 70% of schools achieving National Healthy School Status. This translates to around 4 million children and young people currently enjoying the benefits of attending a Healthy School.

The Food and Drink doorway, however, requires schools to do more than just improve diet, reduce levels of childhood obesity and increase pupil concentration.

It also requires them to reflect on the environmental impact of the food they consume by considering the farming methods used to produce the food, the processing and packaging involved in its production and the distance the food item has travelled.

The average fresh food item on our dinner table travels 1,500 miles to get there and schools can significantly cut their carbon footprints by buying locally produced and less processed foods, and preparing food on site. This sort of positive action can also be reinforced by introducing a greener curriculum and integrating messages about sustainable food and drink into all areas of school life, from the school allotment through to the classroom.

This section looks at schools’ changing attitudes towards healthy food and drink and the work that still needs to be done before schools can become models of sustainable and healthy eating.

The Food for Life Partnership explains how we need to change England’s eating habits from the roots upwards, whilst ethical food producers Essential Trading Ltd explain how they can supply schools with affordable, traceable food that they can trust.

In This Section:

Food for Life Partnership - Changing England’s Eating Habits
The Food for Life Partnership explain how their award scheme is transforming children’s attitudes towards food and helping schools to become more sustainable.

Essential Trading Ltd - Food you can Trust
Ethical food producers Essential Trading Ltd explains the importance of supplying schools with organic and whole foods that are traceable and ethically sourced.