Maybe the cherry on the top qualifies as part of the 5 a-day scheme! It just makes me wonder if the School Food Trust is just a front to dismantle the School Meals service as we know it. They do seem to be awfully keen on encouraging Schools to opt out of Local Authority services and go self-managed. It’s very much a one-way street with the professional caterers employed by the Local Authority being used for the convenience of schools that have opted out of paying for their services. I might be a bit old fashioned but in my opinion, the School Meals Service provides an essential welfare service to today’s children as it always should have from its inception; It should not be viewed as a financial burden that should be privatized to cut local taxes, to suit National Political ideology. The facts is that the topic School Meals has been a political football, kicked in different directions for decades dependent upon which party is in control both locally and nationally. If you factor add in the current fashion for League Tables, Academic Performance and Ofsted Reports, it should not be any surprise that the School’s Management focused on achieving the best results possible for Academic achievement, Exam League Tables and Ofsted reports. Schools are struggling to avoid making everything else a secondary priority, such as competitive sport, physical education, school playing fields, school dining rooms & school kitchens - all peripheral to the sole focus of being top or near the top of exam league tables, sats league tables with good Ofsted reports. New regulations have been brought in, followed by attempts to educate teenagers to eat healthily, adopt healthy lifestyles and also learn to cook. The trouble is with teenagers if you tell them to do it, they will do the opposite! There is of course, another way to produce a viable school meals service - Apetito is a major manufacturer of great quality food targeting the cost sector. The apetito School Meals range can help you deliver the Food and Nutrient Based Standards in Primary Schools in time for this September. There are 36 meal centres now available, with desserts in the pipeline to launch by July. The great thing about the range is that they have been developed for children, tested with children and amended and re tested by children to ensure they deliver just what children like to eat again and again. These clean label, fresh tasting products are:- Free from HVOs Free from Artificial Colourings, Flavourings, Sweeteners and Preservatives. Low in Salt The apetito range has not been fortified with extra vitamins and minerals. But due to the Chef prepared recipes, flavour is delivered by herbs and spices at a price that is affordable. To learn more about the apetito school meals range please log on to [www.apetito.co.uk/education](http://www.apetito.co.uk/education) By **David Griffiths** National Account Manager- Education