Fruit juice 'not fruit' in school food shakeup plan

Eleri, left, and Kiki enjoyed taking part in a fruit and vegetable tasting session

More fruit and vegetables will be on the menu in primary schools and fried food is being cut as part of healthy eating plans in Wales.

Sugary desserts will also be scaled down as part of Welsh government plans to improve the nutritional balance of school meals.

A consultation on new guidance will also look at portion sizes, a maximum and minimum recommended amount of red meat, reclassifying fruit juice as "not a piece of fruit", as well as banning fizzy drinks.

Public Health Wales (PHW) welcomed the proposals, while one dietitian said the changes were "really important" because some children "fall short" of having enough fibre and vitamins.

Currently one in four reception-aged children in Wales are categorised as overweight or obese.

The Welsh government said evidence showed children were eating too much sugar and not enough fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.

Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle said good nutrition was "vital" to help children "perform at their best".

"Our evidence-based changes to school food rules will help give Welsh children the best start in life while supporting Welsh producers and nurturing a generation of healthy eaters to safeguard the future of our NHS," she said.

Dietitian Andrea Basu thinks the measures will help children get closer to eating their five-a-day

The move comes after a strategy committed the Welsh government to reviewing the regulations on nutrition following the rollout of universal free school meals in primary schools.

Andrea Basu, a public health dietitian working for Betsi Cadwaladr health board, welcomed the plans and said they would protect the nutritional health of children and lay "key foundations" for good habits.

She added: "A lot of cognitive, physical and emotional health develops in a relatively short period of time... [so] it's really vital that nutrition is optimal.

"We know children who eat well feel well, learn better and grow stronger."

Ruth Heeley, a teaching assistant at Ysgol Bryn Tabor in Coedpoeth, Wrexham, said food education was important for children to learn how to make good choices.

A programme called food and fun was brought in help the children try foods and flavours that might be new to them, allowing them to try fruit and vegetables sometimes for the first time.

"They don't always have the option at home to try different things, being together at school and having peers to encourage is a big thing," she said.

Ruth Heeley said it was good to see the children trying and enjoying food they might never have eaten before

Year 2 pupil Kiki said she enjoyed the tasting session and liked strawberries the most.

"I liked finding the fruit and vegetables and all the things... we eat what's healthy," she said.

Her friend Eleri said she tried melon for the first time and it was "good".

Rachel Bath of PHW welcomed the proposals, adding: "We know there is work to do to give all children access to nutritious meals alongside food education and positive dining experiences.

"These changes not only support children's health but also contribute to a more sustainable food system and local economy."

Ms Neagle said she looked forward to hearing from parents, teachers, suppliers, and young people on the plan in order to "create school food standards that work for everyone".