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Background: Schools and early years settings provide an opportunity to promote healthy and sustainable food, but standards and guidance in England focus predominantly on nutritional quality. The present study estimated greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) of school lunches provided for children attending school nurseries, including comparison between meal options. Methods: Menus, recipes and portion weights for lunches provided for 3–4‐year‐old children attending nine school nurseries were collected daily for one week. GHGE for each food and recipe were calculated using Foodprint functionality of Nutritics software. GHGE were calculated for each menu option (main, vegetarian, jacket potato and sandwich) provided in each school, and for meals with and without meat/fish. Results: In total, 161 lunches including 273 foods were analysed. Median GHGE across all meals was 0.53 kgCO2e (i.e. kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent) per portion, with significantly higher GHGE associated with main meals (0.71 kgCO2e per portion) compared to all other meal types (0.43–0.50 kgCO2e per portion; p < 0.001) which remained after adjustment for meal size and energy density. Red meat‐based meals were highest in GHGE (median 0.98 kgCO2e per portion and 0.34 kgCO2e per 100 g) and meals containing any meat/fish were significantly higher in GHGE (median 0.58 kgCO2e per portion) than vegetarian meals (median 0.49 kgCO2e per portion) (p = 0.014). Meals with higher adherence to the nutrient framework underpinning the early years guidelines had significantly higher GHGE than meals with lower adherence (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results were comparable to previous estimates of school lunch GHGE and highlight variation by meal option. Consideration of GHGE alongside the nutritional quality of lunches by caterers could support provision of healthy and sustainable lunches. Highlights: Mean greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) across all meal types provided for 3–4‐year‐old children attending school nurseries was 0.61 kgCO2e (i.e. kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent) per portion (SD 0.32) (median 0.53 kgCO2e per portion).When GHGE were compared for different meal types, total GHGE were significantly higher for main meals compared to jacket potato meals, vegetarian meals, and sandwich meals, and this was the case whether compared per portion, per 100 g food or per 100 kcal.Red meat was the greatest contributor to GHGE per portion.There was larger variation in the GHGE of non‐vegetarian meals compared to vegetarian meals (depending on the protein included) and meals containing meat or fish had significantly higher GHGE than vegetarian meals.Meals with medium or high adherence to the nutrient framework underpinning the early years guidelines had significantly higher GHGE than meals with low adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To nutritionally analyse lunches provided for 3–4-year-old children attending school nurseries. Energy and nutrient content are compared with nutrient frameworks underpinning voluntary guidelines for early years settings (EYS) and mandatory standards for infant schools (4–7-year-olds). Design: A cross-sectional study, recording all main meals, vegetarian meals, jacket potato options, sandwich options and all desserts and accompaniments provided over 5 consecutive days in each school. Two portions of each meal were collected each day and weighed. Recipe and portion weight data were entered into nutrient analysis software. Setting: School nurseries where lunch was provided by the school. Subjects: Nine schools, providing a total of 161 meals. Results: Lunches contained more energy (1881 kJ/450 kcal), fat (15·5 g), free sugars (10·5 g) and Na (424 mg) than suggested by the nutrient framework for EYS. Carbohydrate (60·6 g), protein (16·8 g), fibre (6·7 g), Fe (2·4 mg), Zn (2·0 mg), Ca (202 mg), vitamin A (304 µg) and vitamin C (19 mg) also exceeded minimum recommendations. Compared with a revised nutrient framework for infant schools, energy was within range, whilst saturated fat, free sugars and Na were above maximum recommendations for this age group, and Zn was below. Sandwich meals were lower in vitamin C (P < 0·001– P = 0·05) and Fe (P = 0·012– P = 0·017) and higher in Na (P < 0·001– P = 0·003) and Ca (P < 0·001– P = 0·05). Conclusion: Lunches provided for children attending school nurseries are more in line with the framework for 4–7-year-olds. Free sugars, saturated fat and Na are areas of concern consistent with previous studies. Protein is three times more than recommended. Large portions of cakes and biscuits contribute to excess energy provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In England, many children attend an early years' setting (EYS) that is part of a primary school. Where a school lunch is available, this is often the same for both EYS and school children. This study explored how school lunch portion sizes served for 3–4‐year‐old EYS children compared with portion size guidance for EYS and schools, given that recommendations are different for EYS and school‐aged children. Methods: Twelve schools were recruited in four local authorities, each of which provided a school lunch to children attending EYS (aged 3–4 years) and reception classes (aged 4–5 years) from the same menu. Two portions of each menu item were weighed, each day, for five consecutive days. Mean, median, standard deviation and correlation coefficient were calculated for each food item. Results: Most caterers reported serving the same‐sized portions to both 3–4‐year‐olds and 5–7‐year‐olds. Food items falling outside of the typical range for EYS were more commonly above the range (10 food items) than below it (6 food items). Notably, portions of cakes and biscuits were larger than recommended. Portion weights falling outside of the recommended range for 4–10‐year‐olds were usually too small (12 of 14 items). Some foods provided by the schools in the study did not have typical portion sizes for EYS as they were not 'good choices of foods to serve'. Conclusions: These results suggest caterers may not be following guidelines appropriate for all the children they are catering for. Key highlights: Caterers reported serving the same‐sized portions to 3–4‐year‐olds and 4–7‐year olds in 9 of 10 schools.Portion sizes as served to 3–4‐year‐olds were more likely to be too large, whilst also being below the recommended range for 4–7‐year‐olds. Meeting the needs of children with different requirements may be challenging for caterers.Some foods commonly provided (chips, meat products and cakes/biscuits/flapjacks [without fruit]) did not have typical portion sizes for early years' settings (EYS) listed as part of the voluntary food and drink guidelines. This may make appropriate sizing of portions a challenge for caterers.Where partial portions (two or more foods from the same group, counted as 'one portion') were provided, the total portion of a food group was often larger than recommended.Foods representing good sources of micronutrients (baked beans when served as a vegetable, fish within a main meal, egg, soft cheese and custard) were particularly low in comparison to typical portion sizes for EYS, with at least 90% of portions of each falling below the typical range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo describe the lunchtime choices and nutritional intake of primary-school-aged children in England 4 months after the introduction of interim food-based standards for school lunches.DesignCross-sectional 2 d weighed food records collected in January and February 2007.SettingSix primary schools in Sheffield, England.SubjectsOne hundred and twenty-three pupils aged 8–10 years.ResultsVegetables (81 % v. 8 %) and cakes and biscuits (43 % v. 23 %) were chosen more frequently by pupils consuming a school lunch, while fruit (40 % v. 36 %), meat products (18 % v. 14 %), confectionery (72 % v. 0 %), savoury snacks (69 % v. 0 %) and drinks not meeting the school food standards (40 % v. 0 %) were chosen more often by pupils eating a packed lunch. Mean energy intake was lower in the school lunch group compared with the packed lunch group (1402 (sd 573) v. 2192 (sd 619), P = 0·005). Nutrient density (per MJ energy) was significantly better in school meals for key nutrients including protein (9·8 (sd 2·7) v. 6·3 (sd 1·9) g), fat (7·4 (sd 2·7) v. 10·6 (sd 2·8) g), NSP (2·8 (sd 1·3) v. 1·1 (sd 0·4) g), vitamin A (151·3 (sd 192·8) v. 69·1 (sd 55·6) μg), folate (29·6 (sd 11·6) v. 17·0 (sd 7·0) μg), iron (1·3 (sd 0·3) v. 0·9 (sd 0·3) mg) and zinc (1·1 (sd 0·4) v. 0·7 (sd 0·3) mg).ConclusionsSchools were largely compliant with the interim food-based standards for school meals 4 months after their introduction. Within the context of the new standards, children taking a school lunch are more likely to eat a more nutritious lunch, in terms of less high-fat/salt/sugar foods and nutrient density. The introduction of nutrient-based standards is warranted. Efforts to improve the lunchtime intake of children taking a packed lunch are also required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]