We have come up with a list of questions that we think will answer the most common questions you may have about school meals. If you have a question that is not answered below please do not hesitate to contact one of our catering managers via the contact us page.

Q. Why should my child eat Primary School Meals?
A. A school meal gives your child the ability to have a nutritious, hot meal that will help to improve their concentration through the afternoon. For more information, click on the ‘School Lunch?’ section link.

Q. How much are Primary School Meals?
A. Currently, Infant meals are £1.70 and Juniors are £1.80.

Q. Are vegetarian options available on the school menu?
A. There is a vegetarian option available every day, which is marked with a ‘V’ on the menu. If you have a favourite vegetarian dish that you would like to see on the menu, we would be delighted to hear from you. Our menu team will look at your recipe and it may be incorporated into future menus.

Q. Where can I get more information about working in a school-catering unit?
A. Job opportunities appear within the job vacancies section of this web site. Click on the ‘Job Vacancies’ section link to see the current vacancies.

Q. Do the school meals meet the current National Nutritional Standards?
A. Newport Catering school meals meet the current Nutritional Standards for School Lunches. The Welsh Assembly Government has recently issued new guidelines for school meals, ‘Appetite for Life’, which are being trialed within four Welsh authorities. Although it is not currently required by law to comply with Appetite for Life, Newport Catering is already working towards meeting these standards.

Q. My child is a very fussy eater and I'm worried he/she won't eat anything.
A. Catering and school staff are trained to assist pupils to make sensible choices and will encourage them to try different food items. If you do prefer your child to have a packed lunch, we have prepared some advice and suggestions to help you in the ‘A Healthy Lunch Box' booklet, which can be downloaded from this website.

Q. Does anyone check on the kitchens?
A. Our staff regularly carry out quality control visits that support our service provision, ensuring that procedures and standards are maintained. Our colleagues from the Environmental Health department also inspect our premises to ensure they meet hygiene standards.

Q. How do you encourage children to choose fruit and vegetables as part of the 5-a-day recommendation when they stay for a school lunch?
A. Our staff are trained to encourage children to choose the healthier options, including fruit and vegetables. We also try to incorporate fruit and vegetables into the recipes; would you have guessed that our Fruity Chocolate Cake contains beetroot and carrot?

Q. What did Newport Catering think of the issues raised by Jamie Oliver?
A. Jamie Oliver’s television coverage of school meals helped to raise the general public’s awareness of school meals and allowed people to express their opinions about what service they expect to be delivered. This has helped the government and local authorities to focus on how the school meal service can be developed and improved.

Q. Do you provide meals for children on special diets?
A. Yes we do, but to ensure we meet their requirements this can only be done following a referral from the child’s NHS Paediatric dietitian.

Q. How do I pay for my child’s school meal?
A. Meals are paid for each day that your child has a school meal. Ideally, give your child the correct money to take to school every day. If your child is not returning home for lunch, they should be sent to school either with money to pay for a school meal (unless they are entitled to a free school meal), or with a home produced packed lunch.

Q. What is your policy on Genetically Modified (GM) Foods?
A. We do not knowingly use food containing Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients and take care to ensure that our suppliers can confirm their products do not contain GM foods.