New guidelines draw up require head teachers to have a healthy lunch box policy with details on what makes a nutritional packed lunch. A template policy, linked to the guidelines, bans snacks like crisps and chocolate, and suggests packed lunches are “regularly reviewed”. Head of the ASCL teaching union John Dunford said policing the contents of pupils’ lunch boxes was a step too far. He said:

“If we have a healthy lunch box policy – it’s a pretty short distance between that and Ofsted coming in and saying you are failing in that duty if they spot a packet of crisps in a lunch box. If that is the expectation, it goes a step too far. There’s very little we can do if children bring in a can of fizzy drink and a packet of crisps.”

Have a look at the School Food Trust for more information and lots more resources.