Children's restaurant meals poor

There are concerns over fat content

Children's meals served in restaurants and cafes are failing to meet basic nutrition guidelines recommended for schools, a survey has found.

Researchers analysed 141 children's meals in popular restaurants and found every one failed to meet the minimum standard recommended for schools.

Many meals contained too much fat, and many had excessive calories and too few essential vitamins and minerals.

The London Metropolitan University research is published in Food Magazine.

The unhealthiest meals were:

• Harvester: Harvester's Rib Ticklers meal provided more than two times the maximum recommended calorie intake, four times the maximum recommended fat content and more than three times the saturated fat content for a children's meal

• Wacky Warehouse: Their chicken nugget meal was called a 'healthy option' despite containing too much fat, saturated fat and calories, and insufficient amounts of fibre, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and sodium

• Garfunkel's: Garfunkel's hamburger, fries and baked beans meal provided double the recommended calorie intake for children aged five to six and almost double for seven to 10 year olds.

  It also contained more than twice the recommended fat and more than three times maximum saturated fat content for a children's meal.

These meals perpetuate the cultural norm that children's food should be highly processed and devoid of fresh vegetables or fruit. Annie Seeley

Rachael Foulds, author of the research, said: "Most meals analysed were energy dense and low in fibre and essential vitamins and minerals.

"We found a woeful lack of fruit and vegetables on the menus. Only two menus offered a selection of fresh vegetables, while those that included pudding in the meal failed to offer any fruit.

"Consequently, it was very difficult to choose a healthy meal from the children's menus."

Annie Seeley, a nutritionist and co-ordinator of The Food Commission's Parents Jury initiative, said: "This research confirms what many parents feared.

"Families are eating out more than ever before but these meals perpetuate the cultural norm that children's food should be highly processed and devoid of fresh vegetables or fruit.

"These outlets must take greater responsibility and improve the quality of their children's meals."

Industry reaction

A spokesperson for Harvester said it was currently in discussions with the Food Standards Agency about cutting the salt and fat content of its menu, and had already begun to introduce healthier options.

"Children and families are very important to Harvester and we are now looking at the menu as a whole."

Garfunkel's said it took seriously the provision of a balanced menu for children.

A spokesman said: "Childrens' menus also include salads, salads as a side dish, fresh strawberries as a dessert and milk and sugar-free orange juice to drink."

The British Hospitality Association said it was wrong to compare restaurant and school meals, as school meals formed a more important part of children's diets.

In a statement it said: "The catering industry generally is able to offer the widest possible choice of meals, of different styles and content. The choice is there for people to take."

Nutrition guidelines for school meals have been published by an expert committee of the Caroline Walker Trust, and have been adopted subsequently by government departments in England.

The recommendations state that a single meal should provide not more than a third of a child's recommended daily intake of calories, fat, saturated fat or added sugar.

The meal should provide at least 30% of a child's recommended daily intake of protein, fibre and vitamin A, at least 35% of calcium and vitamin C, and at least 40% of iron.