Here are some comments from a Leeds headteacher about the school meals service;

“As a head, I know that children who have had a good balanced meal for their lunch perform better in the afternoon. Food affects everything about a child, their mood, their temperament, their behaviour and their ability to concentrate, so it is no surprise that a good lunchtime meal sets them up for a good afternoon in school.

School meals have changed a lot since I was a boy when I was presented with 'oily spam fritters' and 'dog meat pie'! Now our wonderful kitchen staff prepare interesting and exciting meals that tempt the children to try new things and to eat healthily. School meals are changing for the better, the ingredients are getting fresher, the menus more imaginative and the school is benefiting as a result.

I look forward to further inovations and to more and more of the children taking a school meal.”

Lumpy gravy, soggy cabbage and many of the others you may remember are no longer on the school menu. In their place are traditional style meals, served with fresh vegetables. Fresh salads are always available,  and main meals choices, to name a few, consist of, Chicken Hotpot, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Curries, Sauasages and mash, and Salmon Fillets. Vegetarian options are readily available and special diets can be catered for. Chips are still on the menu, as is pizza, but these are served less and as part of a healthy balanced meal.

We have detailed below 10 great reasons for your child to have a school meal;

1. Nutritious and Healthy
2. Good Value for Money
3. Caring Staff
4. Quality Assured – Safe and Wholesome
5. Convenient – Easier than Packing a Lunch
6. Helps to Develop Good Eating Habits for Life
7. Medical and Special Dietary Requirements are Provided for
8. New and Different Foods to Try
9. Children Learn Essential Social Skills
10. School Meals are Good Fun

We have a full time Food Technologist working to ensure the food that we serve meets the food based and nutritional guidelines set by the School Food Trust, and that foods exclude certain prohibited additives that are thought to cause hypersensitivity and hyperactivity within children.

Our Food Technologist also undertakes work to educate children about nutrition and health and the importance of a balanced diet. This includes fun tasks such as “Bush Tucker Trials” and healthy eating talks where pupils sample different fruit and vegetables.