School dinners? its usually junk
Journalists from Childrens Express found out that healthy eating isnt always an option for young people when theyre hungry at school or on the move.
| People will always go for chips. Junk food is attractive because its forbidden. |
Young people at some London schools associate the term school dinners with a plateful of chips.
Youre taught about the importance of vitamins in class but once youre in the cafeteria its all junk food. You eat pie and chips, a Mars bar and drink coke. Schools arent promoting what they teach, said Lizzie Kenyon, 14, from Our Lady Convent High School, Hackney.
Chips, burgers, thats it, Luther Mensah, 13, from St. Michaels School, Bermondsey, describing a typical dinner at his school. Most meals have loads of fat in but I eat them anyway because theyre appetising. The healthy choice is a roll with ham and lettuce not very tasty, said Stephen Cording, from Holloway Boys School, Holloway, painting a similar picture.
People will always go for chips, believes Matilda Chime, 15, from Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, Islington, Junk food is attractive because its forbidden.
Healthier choices?
Some schools offer what they think pupils want to eat, including healthier choices, but they can still get it wrong. Matildas school offers salad and vegetarian options but people who want these have to wait longer. The majority eat fast food because its quicker and you dont have to queue. They eat chips, pizza and chicken drummers.
The school tuck shops range can also lack imagination. If you want a snack at break time, its either chocolate biscuits or sausage rolls. Theres one bowl of fruit that looks like its been there for months, says Lizzie.
On the way to and from schools in London, cheap, convenient and fatty foods are a constant temptation for young people. I buy chocolate, crisps and drinks from the newsagents; theres such a wide variety you end up eating anything, says Matilda.
Luther often snacks on his way home, I buy sweets, crisps and drinks just to put a taste in my mouth because I feel hungry after school.
Some young people take packed lunches so they can choose their own food. Shelley Reardon, 6, from St. Edwards Catholic School, Lisson Grove, designs her own lunch, I have tuna and salad sandwiches, a yoghurt, an apple, a banana and an orange.
Food at home
If the food young Londoners consume during the day lacks nutritional content then at least at home theyre encouraged to eat healthily whether they like it or not. Stephen regularly eats fresh fruit and vegetables four times a week but Luther is more reluctant, When theres nothing else at home I eat vegetables and fruit.
Matilda has little choice in the matter, 'I eat fruit and veg every day because my mum makes me.
How could the food available to young people in London be improved? For Stephen, its all about the positioning of food in the shops. If the shelves werent just full of sweets and crisps when you walked in the door then young people would eat plums and pears as well. I love fruit. Its cheap, good for you and you can buy it at the grocers, chop it up yourself and there you have a gorgeous fruit salad.
About the team
Editors Stuart Fletcher, 16, and Lizzie Kenyon, 14 interviewed Matilda Chime, 15, Luther Mensah, 13, Stephen Cording, 12, and Shelley Reardon, 6. This article was published in King's Fund News.
The Kings Fund commissioned this article as part of its Imagine London programme (jointly funded by the Kings Fund and the NHS Executive London). The five year programme, which started a year ago, is providing young people in the nations capital, through a wide variety of projects, with a unique opportunity to voice their hopes, concerns and proposals about the health issues of London.
