Schools ban ices & custard
Fury as council chiefs brand classic puds too unhealthy for kids
CLASSIC puddings have been axed from school dinner menus, sparking a backlash.
Council bosses blame the move on rising costs due to Scottish Government legislation aimed at curbing kids’ sugar intake.
But parents reckon that is just being used as an excuse to drop the likes of ice cream and custard from menus.
Some pupils have now launched a petition calling for a rethink by Aberdeenshire Council, which has to save more than £20million this year.
The petition launched by William Dibb, 11, and Angus Beverly, 10, has been signed by every pupil and staff member – including cook Heather Moir – at their school, Rhynie Primary, near Huntly.
In a letter to the council, their class wrote: “The puddings we love, cooked by Mrs Moir, are the best in the world and we don’t want to lose them.
“They are part of a balanced diet for us and we know that Mrs Moir reduces the sugar content as much as possible. We ask kindly that you revert back to having puddings as part of our choice for dinner.”
Desserts will now be mainly fruit.
A newsletter to parents at Uryside Primary in Inverurie also said “fruit juice and smoothies will no longer be provided”.
As of April 8, the Scottish Government recommends desserts contain no more than 15g of sugar per portion at school dinner times and they should be served no more than three days a week.
But mum-of-two Louise Grant, 28, thinks the council has gone too far, saying: “There’s nothing wrong with everything in moderation.”
Georgina Beeson, 29, whose daughter Emily is in primary three, said: “Sometimes a pudding can really lift a child’s spirits.”
A council spokesman said: “The changes introduced by the Scottish Government will lead to a rise in our food costs. We are hopeful the increases will be met by reductions in our costs, meaning the public will not need to pay more for school meals.”