Spending on school meals has not kept up with rising inflation costs, says UNISON as it calls for greater investment in the school meals service.
UNISON has argued for many years for investment in fresh, healthy and sustainable food provision as part of its Food for Good Charter, and is calling on the Scottish Government to beef up school meals.
Mike Kirby, UNISON’s Scottish Secretary, said: “Scotland’s school catering staff work hard to provide children with healthy, nutritious meals. However, the amount of money spent on providing school meals has not kept up with rising food costs and budget constraints.
“Staff in charge of the kitchen are bearing the brunt of heavier workloads in the face of spending cuts and it is thanks to their hard work and dedication that they are able to deliver the quality of service that everyone expects.
“For years, UNISON has called for greater investment in school meals, which not only provides a range of important health, educational and social benefits, but will also save on future costs to the NHS by reducing obesity and other health problems.
“For many pupils, a school dinner is the only cooked meal that pupils eat during the day so it is vital that the Scottish Government makes beefing up school meal provision a priority.”
ENDS
UNISON Scotland launched a Food for Good Charter in 2008, promoting fresh, healthy and sustainable food provision across the public sector. www.unison-scotland.org.uk/foodforgood/index.html
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