The new scheme began this term with nutritionally balanced meals available to pupils at Samarès School in St Clement and Janvrin School in St Helier.
A total of 130 Janvrin pupils and 65 at Samarès have signed up to the scheme. Two-course lunches cost £2.50, with some pupils eligible for free meals.
The pilot scheme has been funded to the tune of £200,000 by Jersey’s government, which is working alongside the charity Caring Cooks.
If successful, the service could go out to tender and be extended to other primary schools.
Martin Knight, director of public health policy, said the project would allow the government to intervene early in children’s lives to help them develop positive dietary habits.
‘Although parents do generally provide healthy packed lunches, it is a daily challenge to ensure that they do not contain high levels of saturated fats, salt and sugar,’ he said.
‘We hope that this scheme will help busy parents and have a positive impact on children’s physical and mental wellbeing.’
Janvrin School head teacher Iain George said: ‘We are proud to be supporting and developing this valuable initiative. Its potential impact on the health and wellbeing of our children is massive, not just in the short term, but also in the lifelong influence of how and what we eat.’
Education Minister Tracey Vallois will be gaining a first-hand insight into the new scheme when she joins Janvrin pupils for lunch tomorrow.
