Ketchup banned from dinner table

A council has banned tomato ketchup from primary school dinner tables because of its high salt content - and difficulty opening the sachets.

Calderdale Council says it is complying with new government guidelines on healthy eating.

The sauce was removed from the menu last Monday at around 50 primary schools in and around Halifax.

According to new national measures, salt should not be available at lunch, and sauces only dispensed in sachets.

The condiment is still available to secondary school pupils in sachet form across the authority.

I have not had one complaint from a parent and the nutritionists say I'm doing the right thing Lyn Plant, catering services manager

But the council has decided that sachets are not suitable for young children.

Lyn Plant, catering services manager for Calderdale Council, said: "We are doing it to comply with government standards.

"There are two issues here, firstly the salt content and secondly the difficulty with sachets.

"In sachet form it is not easy for the children to use, on occasions it is difficult for adults to use.

"Because of that we decided to take it off.

"I know some of my colleagues in other authorities take a different line but I have not had one complaint from a parent and the nutritionists say I'm doing the right thing."