School meals are set to become even healthier in North Ayrshire with the introduction of new nutritional regulations.

From Thursday, April 8, the revised national school food and drink regulations will come into effect which detail the nutritional standards that all food and drink served in schools must meet.

Healthy eating in schools is something that North Ayrshire Council has prioritised for many years. Schools already serve up meals which fully comply with national nutritional regulations, and all primary schools and Arran High have achieved the Gold Food for Life accreditation from Soil Association Scotland.

However, since the national regulations were introduced in 2008, the scientific and dietary advice on which they were based has changed.

The new regulations will increase access to fruit and vegetables, reduce the amount of sugar that can be accessed in school, bring provision of red and red processed meat in line with the Scottish Dietary Goal and change the way food and drink is offered in secondary schools to better meet the needs of young people.