Denbighshire encourages healthier school meals

The school is the first in Denbighshire to implement this group, which consists of pupils, teaching staff, the school cook, Denbighshire school meals catering manager, Denbighshire's appetite for life officer, the schools facilities manager and deputy head teacher. The group has already reduced the amount of chips sold on a school day. The group meets regularly to discuss food and dining in school under the guidance of the Appetite for Life Officer. The group is part of Denbighshire's drive to meet the standards in the Welsh Assembly Government's Appetite for Life Action Plan which aims to improve the nutritional content of the food and drink provided in schools in Wales. Last term the group held healthy days to introduce alternatives to chips, confectionary and fizzy drinks and have now stopped the sale of fizzy drinks and confectionary through discussions between the pupils and the school meals service. The group's next task is to complete questionnaires with the whole school about lunch times at Rhyl High. Assembly education minister Jane Hutt said: "A balanced diet is essential for our children and young people if they are to grow into healthy adults. The Appetite for Life Action Plan contains specific guidance on food and drinks in school, such as the recommended amount of fruit, vegetables and oily fish on the menu and the types of drinks and snacks that schools should permit."