Serving the public: The good food revolution in schools, hospitals and prisons

by Kevin Morgan

Overview

A revealing account of what we feed our citizens in schools, hospitals and prisons.

Access to good food is the litmus test of a society’s commitment to social justice and sustainable development. This book explores the ‘good food revolution’ in public institutions, asking what broader lessons can be learned.

In schools the book examines the challenge of the whole school approach, where the message of the classroom is being aligned with the offer of the dining room. In hospitals it looks at the struggle to put nutrition on a par with medicine and shape a health service worthy of the name. And in prisons it shows how good food can bring hope and dignity to prisoners, helping them to rehabilitate themselves.

Drawing on evidence from the UK, US and Sweden, Serving the public highlights how public institutions are harnessing the power of purchase to secure public health, social justice and ecological integrity. The quest for good food in these institutions is an important part of the struggle to redeem the public sphere and repair the damage wrought by forty years of neoliberalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526182838
Publisher:	Manchester University Press
Publication date:	01/14/2025
Series:	Manchester Capitalism
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.99(h) x (d)

About the Author

Kevin Morgan is Professor of Governance and Development at Cardiff University. He has worked with the European Commission, the OECD and urban and regional governments throughout Europe on place-based innovation strategies.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Part I: Food in the public sphere
1 Reclaiming the public plate
Part II: Schools, hospitals and prisons
2 Food for life: the whole school approach
3 Catering for health: the quest for good food
4 Doing time: food behind bars
Part III: Foodscapes of hope
5 The good food movement
6 Prospects for change
Index

Editorial Reviews

‘Why do poor people so often eat poor food? To answer that question, Kevin Morgan takes us on a tour through school dinners, hospital meals and prison kitchens, from Malmö to Oldham. His answer is that our diet is as politically constructed as our housing or our schooling, and all the apps in the world will be of little use. Writing of imagination and sympathy.’
Aditya Chakrabortty, senior economics commentator, the Guardian

‘Good food and great cities go together: cuisine has long helped to certify the status of global cities. But the sad reality is far too many people lack access to safe, healthy food. Kevin Morgan shows how the “good food” revolution can help us create better, more sustainable cities and improve the health and well-being of their residents.’
Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

‘One in twenty meals served in the UK is paid for by the government. That is why the transformation of catering in our public sector is key to any long-term improvement in our food culture. A catering service that has the competence and confidence to cook from scratch is essential, because it nourishes the most vulnerable people in society and safeguards our planet at the same time. This book highlights both the challenges and the solutions, and I urge politicians to read it.’
Henry Dimbleby, food campaigner and author of the National Food Strategy

‘A compelling look at the power of public food procurement to transform our food system into one that is fairer, healthier and more sustainable. Morgan deftly weaves together inspiring examples of local innovation with a sober assessment of the administrative and economic obstacles to systemic change. This book is an essential read for policymakers and activists alike.’
Nevin Cohen, Director, CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute

‘A tour de force that dissects, critiques and champions the role and importance of Good Public Food. Morgan brings to life a topic often dismissed as dull and unimportant. How we feed our most vulnerable members of society underpins how we value food more generally. This book talks eloquently about embracing the power of public food, improving standards, showcasing what can be achieved with thoughtful leadership and ensuring that key vulnerable groups are well fed in order to support them reaching their potential.’
Mary Brennan, Chair of the Scottish Food Coalition

‘The public owes a debt of gratitude to Kevin Morgan for writing this book. Not only is public food procurement perhaps the most frequently enacted food-related strategy to achieve sustainable development goals, making this a timely and important discussion, but Kevin's first-hand witness to these conversations make him uniquely positioned to tell a nuanced story. A must read for government officials, researchers and advocates working on sustainable food policy development.’
Becca Jablonski, Co-Director, Food Systems Institute, Colorado State University

‘Food in schools, hospitals and prisons is the “canary” in the food system. How often do we hear politicians promise to address tricky matters by sorting out public provision? The private sector, meanwhile, barely receives political attention. This book explains why public food provision is often a mess and doesn’t need to be. It’s full of learned stories, great people and wobbly structures on the food frontline. A gem.’
Tim Lang, author of Feeding Britain: Our Food Problems and How to Fix Them

‘In examining the role of food in public and civil society contexts, Kevin Morgan has highlighted how good food can improve the wellbeing of the most vulnerable people in society.’
Yvonne Thomas, Chief Executive, The Clink Charity

‘Prison, school and hospital food have long been among the most problematic examples of institutional food in the UK and the US, emblematic of systems that prioritise the bottom line and contribute to poor health outcomes, as Kevin Morgan identifies in this insightful, accessible and hopeful book. His elaboration of what constitutes good food and a sustainable food system provides an alternative route for the type of food system we need.’
Robert Gottlieb, author of Care-Centered Politics: From the Home to the Planet

‘It's been said that one true measure of a civilisation's greatness is how well it treats its prisoners. In this clearly written and deeply researched investigation, Kevin Morgan extends this measure to how well we feed our school children and hospital patients as well. By Morgan's account, civilisation is clearly in decline, yet its ascent may once again be assured by the spirited and determined guardians showcased in this inspiring book.’
Mark Winne, author of Stand Together or Starve Alone: Unity and Chaos in the U.S. Food Movement

‘If budgets are a reflection of a society’s values, then public food procurement is our ultimate test. Kevin Morgan’s step-by-step account shines a much-needed light on how communities in the UK and beyond have transformed the complex and opaque public food procurement process into one that from farm to fork demonstrates how our public dollars can and must serve the public good.’
Alexa Delwiche, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Center for Good Food Purchasing

‘Our current food system is not sustainable. Long-term trends are heading in the wrong direction, including rates of obesity, diabetes and hunger. Intensive farming practices are causing significant harm to our environment. Serving the public shows that it does not have to be that way, that we can ensure the food system becomes one we would be happy for future generations to inherit. Goodness knows they’ll have enough on their plate. Let’s not land them with a food system that is broken too.’
Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

‘Morgan takes a fascinating and erudite deep dive into the history of school meal provision. He tells the story of an essential and cost-effective intervention that has been sacrificed on the altar of consumer choice and individual responsibility, despite the well-evidenced reports, campaigns and initiatives (such as our own Food For Life scheme) that have shown the way forwards. There are green shoots of hope though – may Morgan’s book inspire policy makers to build on them.’
Helen Browning, Chief Executive, The Soil Association

From the Publisher