In a School Food Plan Briefing hosted by the Soil Association at City Hall in London, he commended caterers for their herculean efforts in what he called ‘the biggest step forward in school food since World War Two’.
The event, timed to coincide with National School Meals Week, brought together school caterers and industry stakeholders and a line-up of expert speakers, to discuss the key role of food providers in boosting school meal numbers by serving good quality, fresh, sustainable, locally sourced school meals and kick-starting a positive change in food culture and dining experience.
Laws announced a new focus for the school food support service, under which infant schools with low meal take-up would be contacted proactively. The scheme will have capacity to support 1,000 schools.
He said: “My message is ‘quality really matters’. And this is our challenge for 2015. I would like to see all schools and their caterers holding – or working hard towards – a quality award like the excellent Catering Mark.
“Through the Food For Life Catering Mark, schools leaders are able to choose caterers who are committed to providing fresh, sustainable, locally-sourced and high quality food. This not only provides children with nutritious food, but also provides parents with reassurance that their children are being fed responsibly.”
He said the School Food Plan drew the link between a sustainable school meals provision and child health.
"Eating school dinners is better for children. It is also better for the school’s finances. A half-empty dining hall – like a half-empty restaurant – is certain to lose money. In order for the school food service to break even, average take-up needs to get above 50%."
Other speakers included Dr Peter Bonfield – author of the Plan for Public Procurement: food and catering, Myles Bremner – Director of the School Food Plan, Carrieanne Bishop – Chair of Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA), Peter Devonish – head teacher at Dereham Neatherd High School, and Dr Susan Jebb – Professor of Diet and Population Health at the University of Oxford and member of the School Food Standards Panel.