An educated choice

In an article in Nutrition and Food Science in August 1982 a case was put forward for a closer co‐operation between those involved in nutrition education in schools and those concerned with the provision of school meals in the hope that this would help children to choose wisely from the increasing numbers of cash cafeterias now appearing in schools. But before such a meal choice scheme can be developed for use in guiding children's selection of food, a sound knowledge of their present food habits, particularly foods commonly chosen at lunchtime, is needed. A study being carried out at the University of Surrey on schools meals has provided the opportunity to collect baseline data concerning children's choice and their consumption of food at lunchtime in a variety of situations. Information relating food consumption at lunchtime to food intake for the whole day is also being collected.