Nursery World - Packed nursery lunches leave much to be desired

Processed cheese sandwiches and jelly are being served to children in council-run nurseries in Edinburgh following the ending of hot meal provision.

Parents are said to be up in arms at the contents of the packed lunchesbeing provided by Edinburgh City Council since 1 June, with reports offish paste and crisps on the menu.

The council announced that the city"s nurseries would lose theircatering staff and facilities to provide hot lunches last month (News,15 May).

Nutritional therapist Emma Conway, who runs a practice called EdinburghNutrition, analysed the contents of a packed lunch on behalf of theEdinburgh Evening News. The lunch she was given contained a white rollwith a meat slice, a muffin, a banana, a pot of jelly and a strawberrymilk drink.

Ms Conway said, 'It could be worse. But simple changes, like a brownroll, could make it a lot better. The overwhelming emphasis of the mealwas the refined carbohydrates and sugars, found in the white roll, thewhite muffin, and the jelly. It's empty calories. A packed lunch doesn'thave to be unhealthy.'

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