Healthy food angers school pupils

The council says parents and children support the new menu

A group of children is calling for a return to burgers and chips after their school introduced healthy menus.

More than 50 pupils from The School of Christ The King in Filwood Park, Bristol, have signed a petition asking for chips to be reinstated.

Earlier this year the school began experimenting with healthier meals such as lentil korma in place of junk food.

But 10-year-olds Kelcey Channing and Stacey Harvey have begun a campaign to bring back the old food.

Kelcey's grandmother, Jane Channing, is supporting her grand-daughter's appeal, saying many pupils had gone hungry rather than eat the healthy options on offer.

It's ludicrous to suggest kids are going to eat things like curry and lentils... if they want to have chips let them have the choice of having chips Jane Channing, grandmother

"At the end of the day, it's the kids that are eating the food, not Tony Blair, or Jamie Oliver, or the council," she said.

"It's the children that are eating it so they should be given a vote on what's on their plates - if the kids don't eat anything, that's not going to do them any good.

"It's ludicrous to suggest kids are going to eat things like curry and lentils. You cannot give children chips for lunch everyday but there needs to be more choice - if they want to have chips let them have the choice of having chips"

Bristol City Council spokesman Simon Caplan said the new menu was part of a two-year plan to raise the quality of school meals and had been welcomed by many parents and pupils.

He said: "The changes are in response to the demands of many parents and we have a responsibility to ensure the food we serve in schools is healthy and of a high quality.

"We have have had a tremendously positive response to the new menu from parents, teachers and children across the city and believe it is the right way forward."

The new menu offers a daily choice of two meals containing more vegetables and fresh ingredients, no shaped foods and lower levels of salt and sugar.