14 Dec 2022 New School Food Resources: School food update & Barriers to free school meal uptake
As part of the 2022/23 Food Active work programme, we have launched two new school food reports to explore the history of school food, the policy landscape in the current cost of living context and the barriers to uptake of free school meals.
School Food update report: This summary report explores the history of school food, the current policy landscape, the cost-of-living context and relevant campaigns and organisations championing healthy food. School food is a busy topic at present with lots of activity through the campaigns on extending free school meal eligibility in light of the cost-of-living crisis, negative impacts on school meals quality as a result of inflation and the launch of the FSA pilot on compliance to the school food standards. We hope this report provides a useful overview of past and present activity.
Barriers to uptake of free school meals report: With the support of a student (Freya Storr, LJMU), we have finalised an evidence review exploring the barriers to uptake of free school meals and developed a series of recommendations for national and local government. We hope this provides a useful summary of the existing literature, which points to issues such as stigma, food preferences, knowledge, the wider school food environment and taste socialisation.
Download the School Food update report here.
Download the Barriers to uptake of free school meals report here.
If you have any questions, please email chloe.higham-smith@foodactive.org.uk
