Healthy Eating - Appetite for Life

The Welsh Assembly Government’s Appetite for Life campaign was launched in 2007 and provides strategic direction and action for local authorities to improve the nutritional standards of the food and drink provided in schools across Wales.

Wrexham has been chosen as one of four local authorities within Wales to pilot an action research project in secondary schools, which will be taking place from 2008 until 2010. The development of the project at a national level will heavily depend on the success of the local pilot studies. In addition, there is funding to support developments within the primary sector in Wrexham across this two year period.

The Appetite for Life initiative will set out guidelines for schools to ensure that food and drink provision is of a suitable nutritional standard. Such guidelines include fruit and vegetables to be served daily, oily fish to be served at least once every two weeks and no sweet or chocolate products to be made available (although cocoa products are permitted).

With this in mind, two appointments were made in November 2008: Tracey D’Allestro (Appetite for Life Support Officer for Primary Schools) and Stephanie Williams (Appetite for Life Support Officer for Secondary Schools). They will be working as part of Wrexham’s Healthy Schools team in supporting the Catering Service, Head Teachers and Dieticians to support schools in implementing the Appetite for Life Guidelines.

Appetite for Life will compliment the revised National Curriculum for Wales, which now includes more teaching of food and practical skills within the Design and Technology Curriculum, in addition to the Foundation Phase and the PSE Framework also supporting the healthy eating agenda. From September 2008, practical food preparation skills were made compulsory at Key Stage 2 and 3.

Further support for schools is available with visits made by the Welsh Assembly Governments Cooking Bus, a specifically designed mobile trailer with four fully fitted kitchens on board, utilised by qualified food technology teachers. The bus enables children and young people to experience practical cooking practices in a safe environment and training for teachers and school staff to develop food and cooking within the school following the visit. In November 2008, the cooking bus visited pupils and staff at Ysgol Bodhyfryd, Wrexham.