Government pledges an extra £21m for school food

The government has pledged to invest an extra £21 million in school meals.

Secretary of state for children, schools and families, Ed Balls, made the announcement at School FEAST's launch of 16 school caterers' training centres at Thames Valley University.

He also revealed that the government will invest a further £2 million in the School FEAST training centres.

Mr Balls said: "Improving the quality of school meals, education about healthy eating and teaching children to cook is one of my passions."

He claimed that the School Food Trust is at the "forefront" of improving take up of school dinners.

"It continues to make massive progress in raising school food quality and supporting local authorities and schools in changing the attitudes of parents and young people," he added.

The School Food Trust was established by the Department for Children, Schools and Families in September 2005 to transform school food and food skills as well as promote the education and health of children.