School meals cost an average of 35p per child

The document, by Cardiff University's Regeneration Institute, calls for more money to be spent on meals using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to improve both the quality of food and the health of pupils.

School Meals: Healthy Eating and Sustainable Food Chains says a little investment early on could save money on medical bills in the long term.

School caterers perform "a minor miracle daily" by producing meals from very small resources, the report maintains.

The document said that one local authority was criticised by inspectors for spending too much money on producing quality foods, forcing it to cut costs.

Most parents would be surprised to discover that a mere 35p is the average amount spent per child on the food itself Kevin Morgan

Carmarthenshire council has the highest take-up of school dinners in the UK, and regularly consults its pupils on the service it offers as well as holding healthy eating events.

But according to the report, Best Value inspectors - which called it a "high quality, high cost" service - judged it in monetary terms rather than looking at the wider health implications.

It concluded the trend had had a detrimental effect on children's health, local suppliers and school catering staff.

Local sourcing of nutritious food could help cut diet-related problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, the report argues.

In addition, it could create new markets for local producers and lower the number of "food miles"

It also reveals the value of ingredients in many school dinners is far lower than the amount of money handed over by the child.

The average cost of school dinners in 2002 was �1.56 - annually, children spend over �925m on school meals, or �1.3bn including food and drinks bought on the way to and from school.

Professor Kevin Morgan, one of the report's authors, said: "Most parents would be surprised to discover that of the total price, a mere 35p is the average amount spent per child on the food itself.

"Although 35p is nowhere near enough to provide a truly nutritious meal, most local authority caterers perform a minor miracle daily by making these meagre resources got a long way."

The authors call on the government to adopt a healthy eating action plan by:

• Reforming regulations which "foster rather than frustrate" healthy eating and sustainable food chains
• Stimulating demand by creating a market for locally sourced foods - common in other EU countries
• Building supplies
• Promoting healthy food choices