Barnardo’s report shows unaffordability of healthy food

Barnardo's and other School Food Review members urge government to extend free school meals, asserting that they enhance health and increase attendance

A new survey by Barnado’s has revealed that every week nearly one in five UK parents (19%) have to buy unhealthy food for their children because they can’t afford healthier options.

The YouGov data shows that the majority (60%) of parents who had to buy unhealthy food for their children in the last year said they were worried about what they were feeding their children.

The new findings are from the Nourishing The Future survey of 2,239 UK parents. It highlights growing evidence that too many children and young people are missing out on nutritious food, which is negatively impacting their health.

Lynn Perry, Chief Executive, Barnardo’s, said: "The food we eat as children has a huge impact. Sadly here in the UK, far too many children and young people are missing out on nutritious food - with huge knock-on effects for their health both now and in the future.

"We know that parents are making big sacrifices so their children have the best food they can afford. But with the price of basic items staying stubbornly high, healthy food is out of reach for too many families – with people living in poverty finding it harder to buy, cook and eat good food.”

She added that “it is more important than ever that this issue is addressed – starting with extending healthy free school meals to more children."

Rhianna Mallia, Policy Officer, British Dietetic Association (BDA) said, “The findings are unfortunately not a surprise but reflect an ongoing and urgent issue. It is very clear that investing in universal free school meals now will lead to long-term benefits to a child’s life, health and prosperity.” 

She added that the BDA strongly supports the universal rollout of free school meals for all primary-age children. “Providing a free school meal for every child is the only way to ensure that no child goes short of food at school. It increases healthy eating for every pupil and allows children to eat and socialise together, free from stigma or shame.”

“…to ensure children are getting enough healthy food to eat we also need to address the wider issue of poverty…”

Dr Marie Murphy, Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham said she recognises the issues highlighted in Barnardo’s report from the University’s own research.

She said, “Improving access to nutritious food in schools is really important, and schools are doing a fantastic job within the limited resources they have. However, to ensure children are getting enough healthy food to eat we also need to address the wider issue of poverty — so that families have the means to provide healthy food — and the huge influence of food industry through regulation.” 

Dr Murphy welcomed the new national breakfast club pilot in primary schools. She said the national holiday activities and food programme also provide essential access to healthy meals during the school holidays, “and could benefit from being extended to more families in need, beyond those meeting current Free School Meal (FSM) thresholds.”

March also saw the launch of a new report by School Food Review, a group of organisations including The Food Foundation, working together to improve school food in England. The Superpowers of Free School Meals report lays out evidence demonstrating the multiple benefits of expanding free school meals.

These include not only better health and wellbeing, but improved attendance, better pupil outcomes and wider social benefits including reduced inequalities.

Both reports presented MPs with evidence that shows why every child, regardless of location, should have the same opportunity to access nutritious, sustainable school food.