Perthshire family call for ultra-processed foods to be removed from school meals

A Perthshire family is calling for ultra-processed foods to be removed from school meals amid fears children are consuming an “alarming” amount.

Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) are foods with little nutritional value and are high in salt, fat, sugar and additives.

They typically have more than one ingredient that you never or rarely find in a kitchen, and include many additives and ingredients not typically used in home cooking.

This can include preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours and generally have a long shelf life.

One family is campaigning for ultra-processed foods to be removed from school meals. STV News

There are warnings that children, especially from deprived areas, are consuming an alarming amount.

Experts found that UPFs make up a significant proportion of the diets of 11 to 18-year-olds and have been linked to poor health, such as an increased risk of obesity and heart disease.

‘What’s wrong with serving soup for school lunches?’

For the Houstoun family, the discovery that UPFs were found in every single lunch option for their son’s school dinner was a shock.

Based in Blairgowrie, the family own a Glenkilrie Lader, which is dedicated to providing “sustainable” red meat and have have 170 Aberdeen Angus cows, as well as wild venison, farm deer and sheep.

Lauren Houstoun told STV News she received a call from her son Alistair’s school, stating that there was no meal available for him because every option on the menu that day was ultra-processed.

She told STV News: “I don’t need my kids to always have a meat option at school. I’m happy for it to be a vegetarian option, but just not something that’s ultra-processed.

“What’s wrong with a soup or, you know, a vegetable lasagne?”

The Houston family in Blairgowrie are campaigning for UPFs not to be served in kids school meals STV News

Andrew Houston added: “It’s a wee bit of a kick in the teeth when you see products advertised using some of the same terminology that would be used for a lot of the traditional products produced from meat, and the quality doesn’t nearly compare.

“There’s a lot that’s been done by the media and the marketing to try and make a lot of these processed foods more attractive to the consumer.

“They’ve certainly done a very good job of it, but to the detriment of real, proper whole foods, which we are so good at producing in this country.”

‘Sometimes it’s easier to reach for ultra-processed foods’

At a community centre in Glasgow, healthy and easy-to-follow recipes are on the menu at a cooking class, encouraging the use of budget-friendly, fresh foods instead of microwaved meals.

However, it can be a challenge for some to make healthy, fresh meals every day.

Nikki Ferguson from Cranhill Development Trust said: “There can be a fear of how to use those ingredients properly; sometimes, it’s easier to reach for ultra-processed foods that are everywhere.

“Cranhill is also a food desert, so it’s really hard for people to get simple, healthy ingredients.

“We’re trying to remove those barriers, take them away, provide fresh fruit and veg for people at a reasonable price to give them to take away.”

Geoff Ogle from Food Standards Scotland said: “The current trajectory is not only is it a massive health cost, it’s also a productivity and economic cost and in terms of children.

“We are at serious risk of growing a generation of children who are starting their adult life overweight.”

Perth and Kinross Council say they’re committed to “a school meals service that provides nutritious options” for every child.

A council spokesperson said: “National nutritional regulations are a key factor in determining what can be made available as part of the school meals menu.

“All food and drink served must meet the standards set out in these regulations, which are based on scientific evidence and dietary advice, including the Scottish Dietary Goals.

“As a result of the restrictions on red and red processed meat in the regulations, and with a focus on sustainability and climate change, the school meals menu includes meat-free days, incorporating other sources of protein which have previously proved popular with young people.“