Dame Prue Leith, the former Great British Bake Off judge, has called for a ban on children's lunchboxes, arguing that it is impossible to police what parents put inside them. The 86-year-old welcomed a forthcoming “revolution” in school food and said she would like to see free compulsory meals for every child.
Free school meals expansion
Her comments come as all pupils from families on universal credit become eligible for free school meals from September. Dame Prue said it was the first time in her long campaigning career that she had felt a Government was at least a little interested in getting food right in schools.
“I’m being much more draconian. I think we should ban lunchboxes because you can’t police what parents put in,” she said.
Pressure on parents
She acknowledged the difficulty facing parents, saying: “It’s very hard if you’re a mum walking around a supermarket with your child, and a child wants to have that chocolate bar and whatever in their lunchbox. It’s really hard because it’s an easy way of sort of pleasing a child, and it’s an easy way of almost buying love.”
The former Bake Off judge said feeding children tasty, nutritious food would not only keep them healthy but also provide an “opportunity for pleasure”. She warned that children who eat junk and are not given healthy food will not be healthy.
Value of kitchen staff
Dame Prue also said school kitchen staff are undervalued, adding that they can educate children about what they are eating and build their confidence around trying new foods.
