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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Darina Allen: Three homegrown recipes to avoid ultra-processed foods
At last, the conversation around the impact of ultra-processed foods on the health of the nation is gathering momentum. I've written before about how we are sleepwalking into a health crisis of gargantuan proportions. It has crept up on us so rapidly and stealthily, that it has almost gone unnoticed. Ultra-processed foods now make up over half of the average diet in Ireland. To be precise, 54.9% according to research published in The Journal of Public Health Nutrition. Ireland tops the poll in 19 EU countries, contrast that percentage with 10.2% in Portugal. Ireland is now the second most obese country in Europe with more than a quarter of the adult population classified as obese. For some time now, it has been altogether easier to find what used to be called fake or junk food now called UPF's, than real food… Plus, there's huge confusion amongst the general public about what exactly constitutes UPF's, ultra-processed food. These are foods that are mass-produced in industrial systems, purposely engineered to be irresistible and hyperpalatable, cheap with a long shelf life. Foods that you couldn't make in your home kitchen with ingredients you would never find in your pantry. Packed with artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilisers, flavour enhancers… Often with a long list of ingredients, many unrecognisable to the general public. A chicken curry on the recently introduced Free School Meals menu had over 50 ingredients. Where are our priorities…? These foods are highly profitable and are aggressively marketed to both children and grown-ups. In the UK, only 2% of advertising is on real food, 98% is spent on ultra-processed food. I've no doubt it's similar over here. The reality is, our food system is built for profit not to nourish the population. New research links harmful ultra-processed foods to the alarming rise in obesity, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic and inflammatory diseases, cancers, even early death. So why, knowing what we know, is it legal to sell these foods? What will it take to reverse this trend and break free? But reverse it we must. We may think we actually have a choice in what we eat, but the reality is that an immense amount of money, thought and research goes into making these foods utterly irresistible and addictive and super cheap. UPFs have quietly taken over the food system and they are unquestionably making us sick. Is it possible that the manufacturers are unaware of this? About 10 major food corporations control 80% of the food supply on our supermarket shelves. Meal Deals, takeaways, grab, gobble and go, Deliveroo and its many incarnations have become a way of life... So, what to do? In the words of Michael Pollan, 'Eat nothing your grandmother wouldn't recognise as food,' kind of sums it up simply. Chris Van Tulleken's excellent book 'Ultra-Processed People', published by Cornerstone Press draws a direct correlation between high levels of ultra-processed food consumption and the rise in both physical and mental health issues. Should the production companies not be required to pay for the ill health they are causing? How long before the Irish government will no longer be able to fund the health service? So, what to do? Time for bold and coordinated action and a huge rethink about how to tackle the decline in national health. This will not be an easy matter, many of the major food corporations are wealthier and more powerful than governments. As the grandmother of 11 grandchildren, the UPF food situation is keeping me awake at night. We need a coalition of parents, teachers and citizens to demand action. We urgently need to reexamine our priorities — after all, what could be more important than the future health of the nation, our children and grandchildren. This is no easy task to tackle. but what could be more important, what could be more urgent? After all, the wealth of the nation depends on the health of a nation and the health of a nation depends on the food we eat…time for action! Many of the foods we take for granted are ultra-processed. Here is an alternative to the bottled tomato sauce which has become a staple for so many. Avoid the majority of breakfast cereals, with a few rare exceptions like real porridge, most are ultra-processed. Fish Fingers with Garlic Mayo recipe by:Darina Allen A perfect after-school dinner Servings 8 Preparation Time 5 mins Cooking Time 10 mins Total Time 15 mins Course Main Cuisine Irish Ingredients 8 pieces fresh haddock, hake or pollock cut into fingers 11.5 x 3cm (4 1/2 x 1 1/4 inch) approximately salt and freshly ground black pepper white flour, seasoned well with salt, freshly ground pepper and a little cayenne or smoked paprika (optional) For the egg wash: 2-3 beaten free-range, organic eggs and a little milk panko or dried white breadcrumbs To serve: crunchy little gem lettuce leaves For the garlic mayo: 225g (8oz) homemade mayonnaise 1-4 crushed garlic cloves (depending on size) Method Add the garlic to the mayonnaise and season to taste. Heat the oil in a deep fry to 180˚C/350°F. Season the fingers of fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then, dip the fish, first into the well-seasoned flour and then into the beaten egg and finally coat evenly all over with the crumbs of your choice. Pat gently to firm up…! Heat some olive oil or clarified butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the fish fingers until golden and crispy on the outside and cooked through into the centre. Drain on kitchen paper. I love to wrap them in crunchy little gem lettuce leaves, add a dollop of garlic mayo (aioli) or your mayo of choice and enjoy. Ballymaloe granola recipe by:Darina Allen A million times more delicious, nutritious and satisfying cereal than virtually anything you can buy. Servings 20 Preparation Time 5 mins Cooking Time 30 mins Total Time 35 mins Course Baking Ingredients 350g (12oz) local runny honey 225g (8fl oz) light olive or grapeseed oil 470g (1lb 1oz approx.) oat flakes 200g (7oz) barley flakes 200g (7oz) wheat flakes 100g (3 1/2oz) rye flakes 150g (5oz) seedless raisins or sultanas 150g (5oz) peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds or cashew nuts split and roasted 70g (2 3/4oz) wheatgerm and /or millet flakes 50g (2oz) chopped apricots, chopped dates Method Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Mix oil and honey together in a saucepan, heat just enough to melt the honey. Mix well into the mixed flakes. Spread thinly on two baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, turning frequently, making sure the edges don't burn. It should be just golden and toasted, not roasted! Allow to get cold. Mix in the raisins or sultanas, roasted nuts, toasted seeds, chopped dates, apricots and wheatgerm. Store in a screw top jar or a plastic box, keeps for 1-2 weeks. Serve with sliced banana, berries in season, milk and/or natural yoghurt. Tomato fondue recipe by:Darina Allen Tomato fondue is one of our great convertibles. It has a number of uses. We serve it as a vegetable or a sauce for pasta, filling for omelettes, topping for pizza… Servings 6 Preparation Time 15 mins Cooking Time 30 mins Total Time 45 mins Course Main Ingredients 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 110g onions, sliced 1 clove of garlic, crushed 900g very ripe tomatoes in summer, or 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes in winter, but peel before using salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar to taste 1 tbsp of any of the following; freshly chopped mint, thyme, parsley, lemon balm, marjoram or torn basil Method Heat the oil in a stainless steel sauté pan or casserole. Add the onions and garlic and toss until coated. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured -— about 10 minutes. It is vital for the success of this dish that the onions are completely soft before the tomatoes are added. Slice the peeled fresh tomatoes or chopped tinned tomatoes and add with all the juice to the onions. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar (tinned tomatoes need lots of sugar because of their high acidity). Add a generous sprinkling of herbs. Cover and cook for just 10-20 minutes more, or until the tomato softens, uncover and reduce a little. Cook fresh tomatoes for a shorter time to preserve the lively fresh flavour. Tinned tomatoes need to be cooked for longer depending on whether you plan to use the fondue as a vegetable, sauce or filling. SEASONAL JOURNAL Sophie Morris Questions… Check out Sophie Morris on Instagram. She uses her page to raise awareness about food labels, reducing ultra-processed foods, clever supermarket swaps…she's got quite the following. Instagram @sophie_morris Grow It Yourself Grow At School Programme Bravo GIY… As written about overleaf by Joe McNamee, GIY's Grow At School programme is in over 700 schools providing food gardens and supporting resources to teachers to use food growing and garden-based learning. Their aim is to roll it out to all 3300 primary schools; reaching over 500,000 children and their families. They are calling on the government to commit to embedding food growing education in schools and to support GIY in a national roll-out of Grow At School to every school. They need help in spreading the word by posting/sharing wherever you can and tagging your local TDs and key politicians. Really worth supporting…. Tag GIY on what you post to Instagram @giyireland and @mickkellygrows Read More Darina Allen: Three ways to try the sublime flavours of Southwestern France
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
School suspensions and exclusions in England reach record high
Suspensions and exclusions from schools in England have risen to a record high for recent times, Government figures show. There were 954,952 suspensions in the 2023/24 academic year, compared with 786,961 in 2022/23 – an increase of more than a fifth (21%) in a year. There were 10,885 permanent exclusions in 2023/24, compared with 9,376 the year before – a rise of 16%, according to the Department for Education (DfE) data. The rise comes amid warnings of challenging behaviour in classrooms following the Covid-19 pandemic. Suspensions – which are when a pupil is excluded from a school for a set period of time – in primary schools rose by nearly a quarter in a year. Figures released on Thursday show that suspensions for pupils in state primary schools rose by 24%, from 84,264 in 2022/23 to 104,803 in 2023/24. Meanwhile, suspensions for secondary school pupils rose by 21% in a year, from 685,930 to 829,896. Persistent disruptive behaviour was the most common reason for sanctions, accounting for 51% of all reasons given for suspension and 39% for exclusion. Suspensions and exclusions peaked in the 2023/24 autumn term, where there were 346,279 suspensions and 4,168 permanent exclusions in a single term. The number of suspensions and exclusions in England is the highest since at least 2006/07, when the latest DfE data begins. Pupils on free school meals and those with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) continue to see high levels of suspensions and permanent exclusions, the DfE said. Education minister Stephen Morgan said: 'Every moment in the classroom counts – but with almost one million suspensions in the 2023 academic year, the evidence is clear that this Government's inheritance was classrooms in chaos, with swathes of the next generation cut off from the opportunity to get on in life. 'Through our plan for change, we've wasted no time in tackling the root causes of poor behaviour, including by providing access to mental health support in every school, making sure every child gets the fuel they need to learn through free breakfast clubs and expanding free school meals, and launching our new attendance and behaviour hubs which will directly support the 500 schools that need the most help. 'We're also continuing to listen to parents as we reform the Send system, while already putting in place better and earlier support for speech and language needs, ADHD and autism and £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools.' Beth Prescott, education lead at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) think tank, said: 'There is a crisis of bad behaviour disrupting classrooms.' She added: 'Government and schools have an important role to play, but our research shows that parents also need to up their game and take responsibility for their children's behaviour in class. 'There has been a fundamental breakdown in the school-parent social contract.' Carol Homden, chief executive of Coram charity, said: 'Year on year the numbers of children excluded from school on a temporary and on a permanent basis continue to rise, but this year's significant rise must be a wake-up call.' She added: 'This epidemic of exclusion must also be faced head on by the Government while addressing the current crisis in special educational needs and disability provision, in order to make our children's right to a suitable education a reality.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'Schools have a duty to provide a safe environment for all pupils and only use suspensions and exclusions when other options to ensure this have been exhausted. 'The reasons for disruptive behaviour often lie beyond the school gates and have their roots in wider challenges, including everything from poverty to access to support with special educational needs and mental ill-health. 'Schools work tirelessly to support pupils, but they alone cannot address the causes and symptoms of poor behaviour. 'They need back-up in the shape of additional investment in vital services like social care, children's mental health, behaviour support teams, and special educational needs provision, which have been reduced or failed to keep up with demand over the last decade.' Sophie Schmal, director of Chance UK charity, said: 'The latest figures released today reveal a shocking picture, particularly for some of our youngest and most vulnerable children. 'When you have children as young as five and six years old being permanently excluded from school, then clearly something is going very wrong. 'Every day, we see children and families being let down by a system that is failing to support them early enough.'
Scotsman
04-07-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Scotland pupils show rising reading comprehension, new data reveals
The 2025 What Kids Are Reading report, published today by leading edtech provider Renaissance, includes data from over 40,000 pupils in Scotland and reveals how children's reading habits are evolving across the UK and Ireland. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Drawing on data from over 1.2 million pupils, the report shows that five years on from the disruption of lockdown, young readers are engaging with more challenging books—and understanding them better. Although the number of books read has declined slightly year-on-year, pupils still read on average 20.7 books a year—far more than the median UK adult, who reads just three. In schools using Accelerated Reader, a structured programme that supports reading practice and comprehension, quiz scores have improved since last year. Primary pupils are now achieving 80% accuracy on reading quizzes (up from 77% last year), while secondary pupils have reached 72% (up from 69%). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Pupils are also scoring highest on their favourite books, many of which are more challenging than their most-read titles. In Year 5, for example, favourite books had a reading level nearly two years above the average for that age group, with quiz accuracy reaching 94%. These patterns suggest that when pupils are given the freedom to choose books they love, they rise to the challenge—and understand them deeply. Your World Additional insights from the National Literacy Trust's Annual Literacy Survey, included in the report, show that while overall reading enjoyment has declined to 35%, its lowest level since 2005, Accelerated Reader users buck the trend. Among pupils eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), 37% of those using Accelerated Reader say they enjoy reading, compared to 32% of their peers. A similar pattern appears among boys, with 31% of Accelerated Reader participants reporting enjoyment, versus 27% of non-participants—suggesting structured support may be helping to close the enjoyment gap. This What Kids Are Reading report also shows how children's reading habits are changing. Jeff Kinney remains the most-read author across UK schools, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid still topping the charts. But newer voices are gaining ground. Titles by Marcus Rashford, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Matt Oldfieldare now among the most-read books in schools. Books such as The Breakfast Club Adventures, Little People, BIG DREAMS, and Black Men in Science mean more pupils are seeing their experiences reflected in the stories they read—supporting not only literacy development but also helping pupils see themselves in the stories they read—fostering confidence, connection, and a lifelong love of reading. Crispin Chatterton, Director of Education at Renaissance, said: 'This year's What Kids Are Reading report highlights the real progress schools are making in helping children read with greater understanding. It's especially encouraging to see disadvantaged pupils reporting higher enjoyment of reading in school—showing how targeted support can help more children build confidence and enjoyment in reading. At Renaissance, we're proud to work alongside schools to create inclusive, engaging reading experiences that help all pupils succeed.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Professor Keith Topping, author of the report, commented: 'This year's findings are encouraging. The narrowing of the enjoyment gap, particularly among disadvantaged pupils, suggests that structured reading time and access to tools like Accelerated Reader are making a real difference. When pupils enjoy reading, they read more—and when they read more, they achieve more.' Access the What Kids Are Reading 2025 report here:
The Sun
11-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Free school meals for half a million for kids confirmed in spending review by Chancellor Rachel Reeves
HALF a million more kids will be eligible for free school meals, it's been confirmed by the Chancellor. As part of her spending review today, Rachel Reeves announced that every child in a Universal Credit household will now be eligible for state-sponsored lunches. 1 Addressing the House of Commons she said: "Last week, this government announced that Free School Meals will be extended to over half a million more children. "That policy alone will lift 100,000 children out of poverty from Tower Hamlets to Sunderland to Swansea." Currently, Universal Credit households must earn under £7,400 per year to qualify. The move is expected to save parents on benefits £500 a year, according to the Department for Education. Kids in UC households currently not eligible will be able to start claiming lunches from the start of the 2026 school year. The entitlement will apply in all settings where free school meals are available, including school-based nurseries and further-education settings. Most parents will be able to apply before the start of the new school year by providing a national insurance number. Education Secretary Bridget Philipson previously told The Sun the move was a "game changer". 'This will make a big difference to children's attendance and behaviour at school because we know that if kids are hungry, they don't concentrate well." The expansion of the scheme comes ahead of ahead of the government's Child Poverty Taskforce publishing a ten-year strategy to drive down poverty. Labour are also facing mounting pressure to scrap the two child benefit cap, If you are keen to apply for the support you need to do so via your local council. You can find out what council you are in by visiting Elsewhere, Rachel Reeves also vowed to pump £39billion to build more social and affordable housing across the UK, alongside a new rent policy for social housing starting in 2026. What age do kids get free school meals in the UK? In England, all eligible children from reception to year two qualify for free school meals - so kids aged roughly between four and seven. In Scotland, all children between four and nine will qualify, while in Wales, pupils aged around four get free school meals. But, of course, all primary school-aged children should be eligible for the scheme by the end of 2024. That means children between four and 11. In any part of the UK, from year three onwards, your children could qualify for free school meals. But this is when the eligibility criteria kicks in, meaning you'll need to be receiving certain benefits and your income may be taken into consideration. Currently, your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following: Income Support income-based Jobseeker's Allowance income-related Employment and Support Allowance support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 the guaranteed element of Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (provided you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190) Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get) WHAT OTHER HELP IS AVAILABLE? You get child benefit if you're responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16 or under 20 if they are in approved education or training The payment is used to help parents cover the costs of childcare. It is paid at two weekly rates - £26.05 for your eldest or only child and £17.25 for any additional children. Payments are usually made every four weeks, on a Monday or Tuesday, but sometimes are made weekly. If you are claiming child benefit for a child under 12, you also receive National Insurance (NI) credits. NICs count towards your State Pension so claiming the benefit can be useful if you are missing any. Parents can also get help with free food vouchers through the government's Household Support Fund. What help is available for parents? CHILDCARE can be a costly business. Here is how you can get help. 30 hours free childcare - Parents of three and four-year-olds can apply for 30 hours free childcare a week. To qualify you must usually work at least 16 hours a week at the national living or minimum wage and earn less than £100,000 a year. Tax credits - For children under 20, some families can get help with childcare costs. Childcare vouchers - If your employer offers childcare vouchers you can get up to £55 a week in tax and national insurance savings. You pay for your childcare before your tax contributions are taken out. This scheme is open to new joiners until October 4, 2018, when it is planned that tax-free childcare will replace the vouchers. Tax-free childcare - Available to working families and the self-employed, for every £8 you put in the government will add an extra £2.
The Guardian
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Free school meals for more children in England is a positive thing, but there's a catch
Good news. Free school meals for all children in England on universal credit is rightly being celebrated by schools, nurseries, further education colleges and children's charities. There may only be 500,000 extra recipients estimated by the government now, but in the long run 1.7 million children will be eligible, says the Institute for Fiscal Studies. 'Fantastic news,' says the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), as 100,000 children will be lifted out of poverty by this annual £500 put back in parents' pockets. Food matters. Hungry children can't learn, and many miss school to avoid the public embarrassment of no dinner money and no packed lunch, according to CPAG's Priced Out of School report. Strong evidence shows a rise in attainment and attendance if you feed children. The Feed the Future campaign finds not just academic achievement but health, happiness, reduced obesity and lifetime earnings improve if children don't go hungry. Surely that can't surprise anyone. The universal breakfast clubs being rolled out now represent real progress. Strict rules stopping schools from demanding absurdly expensive uniforms, sometimes a not-so-subtle way to exclude poorer families, is another part of a developing anti-poverty strategy. But it's complicated. Nothing in poverty numbers is easy. So while celebrating more meals for more children, we should question the total number of children lifted out of poverty. The government says it's 100,000 and the IFS agrees. But look what happens when you factor in the dire effect of the upcoming £5bn disability and Pip cuts. Turn to the government's own paper on the impact. Look at Annex B: 'It is estimated that there will be an additional 250,000 people (including 50,000 children) in relative poverty after housing costs in financial year ending 2030 as a result of the modelled changes to social security.' As those receiving support from sources such as Pip lose their benefit, the family gets poorer. Some may find this offset by the addition of free school meals, but not all will qualify, and many families will still find themselves worse off once what they gain from having free school meals is set against benefit losses. The vote on disability benefit cuts is coming up shortly, with up to 170 Labour MPs reportedly ready to rebel. As the Department for Work and Pensions scurries to amend the proposal in time for the vote, it needs to take into account the danger of sending more children below the poverty threshold. Of the many severe critiques of the government's Pathways to Work plan for these disability cuts, one of the most authoritative is the Citizens Advice response, Pathways to Poverty. It opens: 'By refusing to properly consult on its plan to cut billions from disability benefits, the government is choosing not to ask questions it doesn't want the answers to. The cuts will have a devastating impact on disabled people (and their children), sending hundreds of thousands into poverty, and many more into deeper poverty. This will result from a series of arbitrary reforms that have been designed around savings targets rather than improving outcomes, inflicting hardship on people in ways that the government doesn't yet fully understand.' Few would doubt the need for the government to take action on the growing numbers of working-age people off sick with mental and physical ailments. Good plans to provide work coaches to help, not bully, them back into working life with an array of supports are unfolding. But the dash for cash suddenly and unexpectedly imposed on the DWP at the last moment when the Office for Budget Responsibility found a gap in Reeves's proposed £5bn in savings has thrust more brutal cuts forward, regardless of circumstance. In 1997, New Labour's New Deal to help people into work was a great success: money saved came from finding people jobs, not cutting their benefits in advance, something that was likely to reduce their work capability. The welcome new free school meals policy shines a light on the depths of poverty. How could the appallingly low family income of £7,400 have been the qualifier until now? In Northern Ireland the benchmark is twice as high. Wales and London have universal free meals for primary children; in Scotland, all pupils are eligible for the first five years of primary school. Labour inherited a tax and benefits system that had, since 2010, cut entitlements among families with children by £2,200 a year on average, with those out-of-work losing £5,500 a year, reports the IFS. Reversing that is an uphill task. Many children now getting free meals won't be lifted out of poverty: it would take a lot more than £500 a year. Lifting the two-child cap would cost less than meals, in terms of freeing children from poverty. That estimated £3.5bn to abolish it will have to be found by Liz Kendall and Bridget Phillipson's child poverty taskforce, which will report at budget time in the autumn. There just is no way round it for a government that pledged to take more children out of poverty. Note that they call this free school meals announcement just a 'down payment'. The best had better be yet to come. A final thought: for all the panic about disability claims, total working-age benefits as a proportion of government spending have not risen in the past 20 years. What has happened is cuts for children have been offset by increases for triple-locked pensioners. Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
