You cannot force children to eat healthily

This week has seen reports that the government’s advisors on school food want to see packed lunches banned and school dinners to be made obligatory.

As an educationalist, I understand that school meals play an important role in ensuring kids get at least one hot meal a day, and some fruit, vegetables and good-quality protein and carbohydrates into the mix. However, I also know that the key to teaching children is not through coercion. 

In fact, as someone who has studied nutrition, I am aghast that such a measure could be suggested. For one thing, school meals may have improved in great measure across the years, but they do not suit the tastes of all children. It is far better for parents to gauge what their children will eat and fit that into a healthy lunch, than to assume that they will eat what’s on the menu.