A EXPERT in educational nutrition has slammed Theresa May’s plan to scrap free school meals.

School meal adviser Patricia Fellows, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours for her services to education, described the Conservative manifesto plan as “short-sighted”.

Mrs Fellows, from Seaford, said: “It would mean up to one million children would miss out on a healthy meal each day.

“Not only that, it is teaching children about healthy food and that is something they will carry with them into their adult lives.”

The policy was brought in by the coalition government in 2014 and sees each child in infant school given a free school meal.

All food has to comply with nutritional standards, which means no sugary drinks or foods high in fat, sugar or salt can be served.

But the Prime Minster has set out plans to scrap the policy and instead has proposed free breakfasts for all primary school children.

The change is intended to save million of pounds each year. The Conservative manifesto states: “We do not believe that giving school lunches to all children free of charge for the first three years of primary school – regardless of the income of their parents – is a sensible use of public money”

But Mrs Fellows said the change would not only damage the health of children but also have an impact on their attainment.

She said: “Various studies show this to be the case and the Government must take note. The Government has done no research into what the impact of this will be.

“There is also the economic argument. There are in excess of 20,000 jobs which are supported by the scheme alone.

“Then there are the jobs in the supply chain and in farming and production. It is incredibly short-sighted. Unfortunately I don’t think many parents are aware of the plans.”