SCHOOL dinners have undergone a radical overhaul in and around Basingstoke - junk food is out and nutritionist-approved hearty meals are in.

In response to national criticism, prompted by Jamie Oliver's campaign to banish processed food from school dinner tables, caterers for Hampshire County Council have introduced a whole new menu for hungry pupils.

The food is now completely additive-free. Sausage rolls, chicken goujons and fish fingers have all gone from the menu and chips are restricted to once a week.

Pupils also have no choice about whether they have vegetables on their plate. A nutritionist has assessed the meals and each one should contain about 555 calories, which is a third of a child's recommended daily amount.

The Gazette went along to Great Binfields Primary School, in Chineham, to see what exactly is on the menu.

The dish of this particular day was a choice of roast chicken or broccoli and cauliflower gratin, both served with roast potatoes, cabbage and carrots. For pudding, it was jelly, fruit or ice cream - and judging by the way the 79 young diners were tucking in, the new-look dinners are clearly to their taste.

Laura Giddens, head cook at Great Binfields, certainly enjoys cooking the new food.

She said: "There is a lot of cooking to do now, rather than just opening packets. Things are always cooked fresh now.

"The hours we work are definitely filled up and it's busier in the kitchen. It was too easy before."

Rosemary Lock, the district manager for HC3S - Hampshire County Council Catering Services - which provides meals for the majority of schools in the borough, said: "We have been working towards removing additives and preservatives from our food for some time, but we decided to do it in one fell swoop following all the publicity led by Jamie Oliver.

"Most of our food is home-cooked every day now. The cooks like it because it's gone back to what they are here for - they want to be cooking home-made food that's healthy for children."

The pupils at Great Binfields were not convinced that the change was for the better straight away - but now they are getting used to the new regime.

Miss Giddens said: "At first, there was a bad reaction from the children because they were too used to fish fingers and sausage rolls. Now, though, they love it and it has turned right round."

And dinner lady Ann Wiles said: "The kids have responded quite well and the dinners look a lot more appetising for them."

Parents - what do your youngsters think of the new-look school dinners? We'd love to hear your views. Write to The Letters Editor, Gazette Newspapers, Gazette House, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD or e-mail editor@basingstokegazette.co.uk

First published: Thursday, November 17, 2005