Following Jamie’s School Dinners tv series, the British government is finally reacting to the needs for better food in school cafeterias.

Chef Jamie Oliver has welcomed the government’s extra £280m to tackle the school meals “crisis” in England. At least 50p will be spent on each primary school lunch and 60p in secondaries. Some primaries currently spend as little as 37p on ingredients.

Cynics will say the money will go to the private caterers and never really reach the plates of the students or that Jamie is doing it for personal publicity. Yeah, sure! Both of those comments have truth to them, but how many parents and children will look for chicken breasts rather than re-formed chicken next time they shop for chicken nuggets after seeing Jamie’s presentation on what’s in those nuggets? A good few will at least have the memory looming about when choosing!

Awareness of health and eating habits is a start. Now, it’s up to the parents to teach their kids what good food is, both at school and at home!