29^th July 2020  

 

Part 1 of the National Food Strategy was published today, bringing into focus the flaws in the UK’s food system and focusing on the importance of tackling child poverty.  The strategy highlights the physical and psychological effects of hunger on young people, and reflects that poor diet affects children and their ability to learn.

The review contains urgent recommendations to make sure the most disadvantaged children in the UK do not get left behind, and proposes an expansion of free school meals and holiday hunger schemes for children. 

 

Magic Breakfast responds:

"We welcome the National Food Strategy’s call to tackle hunger and extend free school meals, but the importance of a healthy school breakfast cannot be ignored – a child who arrives at school too hungry to learn simply cannot wait until lunchtime to eat.

“If we’re serious about tackling the issues of a healthy diet and hunger in schools, we need children to be offered school breakfasts as well as lunches. Children who start the day with full stomachs are more settled, better behaved and more able to concentrate on lessons. Magic Breakfast provides nutritious breakfasts to children that fully comply with government School Food Standards, unlocking hours of learning that enables children to reach their full potential.

“We urgently need the Government to bring in school breakfast legislation to guarantee all schools with high levels of disadvantage the long term, sustained support they need to guarantee children at risk of hunger have access to a healthy free school breakfast”. Alex Cunningham, CEO Magic Breakfast

 

The Strategy, which is said to be the first independent review of UK food policy in almost 75 years, is due to be followed with Part 2 in 2021.