The leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Clr. John Davies, has welcomed 'Appetite for Life', a Welsh Assembly Government scheme which recommends a radical overhaul of food in schools in Wales. "We welcome this report - but Pembrokeshire has been leading the way in promoting healthy school meals for several years," said Clr. Davies. "The council catering division serves around 12,000 meals a day - freshly prepared on the premises - to primary and secondary school children. "It has removed the vast majority of processed food from its menus, and has almost completed the process of placing healthy food and drink vending machines in schools." The Council has also: introduced a new primary schools menu with more freshly prepared food, with reduced fat, sugar and salt; increased traditional foods and salad bars; launched a range of healthy meal deal options; taken thin fries off the menu and replaced them with baked potato wedges and trial low fat chips; included potato housing machines in each secondary school for jacket potatoes; taken coke, sugary fizzy drinks and flavoured waters off 'counter' sale in all secondary schools; boosted the number of local suppliers - eight out of 10 suppliers are now local Vending machines in secondary schools have seen the following changes (there are no vending machines in primary schools): healthy drinks vending machines introduced in all schools; healthy food machines placed in five schools; chocolate and crisp machines removed from all schools by September; carbonated drinks taken off sale in all schools; free access to cold fresh drinking water in all dining halls; all schools have been offered at least one POU water machine. Many of these initiatives are part of the council's Food and Health Strategy, which was launched in 2005. The scheme works towards a whole-school approach to food, nutrition and health and promoting education for sustainable development. It also aims to promote nutrition education within the national curriculum. Other schemes have also been launched to support lunchtime supervisors, improve the marketing of school meals, develop menus and presentation, boost the supply of local produce, plus: Sustainable Schools Food Procurement Scheme - a pioneering 12-month feasibility study at two primary schools -Ysgol Bro Ingli in Newport and Tenby Junior School - to use more fresh, seasonal and local produce in school lunches; Cook It - a scheme to make cookery fun and teaching children how to cook; Grow it, Cook it, Eat it, an annual week-long initiative with healthy eating and awareness workshops targeting primary school children across the county.
