Impact on Urban Health, School Food Matters, Chefs In Schools, Bite Back and the Food Foundation joined forces to create the School Food Review.
They are working with more than 36 member organisations which include charities, unions, catering companies, educational organisations and academics. Celebrity chefs including Jamie Oliver, Tom Kerridge and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have supported the campaign.
Oliver said: “When we feed kids well, when we act with kindness and integrity in our politics, the benefits are profound. It truly is a superpower – setting them up to get better grades, better jobs, and so putting £8.9 billion back into the economy over 20 years. Let's hope our politicians can step up to the plate.”
According to a new survey from Barnardo's every week almost one in five UK parents (19%) have to give unhealthy food to their children because they can’t afford healthier options.
The majority (60%) of parents who had to buy unhealthy food for their children in the last year said they were worried about what they were feeding their children.
The School Food Review has launched an updated report titled ‘The Superpowers of Free School Meals’ that lays out evidence demonstrating the multiple benefits of expanding free school meals. The benefits include better health and wellbeing, improved attendance, better pupil outcomes and wider social benefits.
The report provides MPs with evidence that shows exactly why every child, no matter where they live, should have the same opportunity to access and enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food.
In England, access to free school meals is extremely restrictive, with families needing to earn under £7,400 (after tax, excluding benefits) per year to qualify, leaving around one million children in poverty without access.
In other parts of the UK, the situation is better. The eligibility threshold is highest in Northern Ireland at £15,000 (after tax, excluding benefits). Children in London and Wales, as well as some age groups in Scotland, are entitled to universal free school meals in primary education.
Chef Tom Kerridge added: “Clearly something is broken within that free school meal system. Trying to get something more robust and solid in place is desperately needed. For many of these kids, a free school meal is the only meal they get that’s warm.”