City's �2m plans for school meals

Salad bars will be introduced in primary schools

Fruit vending machines and salad bars are to be introduced in schools in Liverpool as part of a �2m drive to make school meals healthier.

The city council said the scheme, which also involves the primary care trust, will transform school food and help reduce obesity.

Every secondary school will receive �10,000 for improving meals and its dining rooms.

Water machines will also be put into every secondary school.

A team of specialist food advisors will visit schools to check the nutritional value of the food on offer and arrange taste tests to encourage youngsters to try new things.

The type of food eaten during the day directly affects concentration levels Stuart Smith

Fruit vending machines will be offered to every secondary school and salad bars will be introduced in all primary schools.

A cashless payment system will operate to encourage children entitled to free school meals and children from low income families to eat school lunches.

The city council's executive director for children's services, Stuart Smith, said: "There is a huge amount of research which shows that children's health and wellbeing affects attendance, academic attainment and helps improve behaviour.

"The type of food eaten during the day directly affects concentration levels.

"This new initiative makes sure all schools will have the positive advice, support and resources to help children become healthier and more motivated in school."

Dr Paula Grey, joint director for public health at Liverpool PCT, said that scheme was mainly concentrated on secondary school students.

"That is because the freedom of personal choice exercised by older children brings greater challenges at secondary level and also because a lot of good work is already being undertaken in primary schools," she said.

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