Pupils getting the healthy choice on school meals

Children in Derbyshire are making healthier eating choices thanks to the Food for Life Served Here scheme and Derbyshire County Council’s school catering service.
Healthy choices are on the menu for schools. Photo: David John KingHealthy choices are on the menu for schools. Photo: David John King
Healthy choices are on the menu for schools. Photo: David John King

Soil Association’s Food for Life Served Here programme has been working with school caterers across Derbyshire, supporting them to provide healthy school meals, great lunchtimes and food education that has a positive impact on both pupils and the wider community.

School meals produced each day by the council are all freshly prepared using locally-sourced, sustainable ingredients, including organic beef, MSC-certified fish and free-range eggs as part of the Food for Life Served Here scheme it supports.

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Championing local suppliers within the county, food sourcing includes eggs and milk from Holdsworth Foods in Chesterfield, fruit and vegetables from both John Palin and Tomson Buxton in Buxton, and Beef from Lowerhurst Organic.

The council is promoting the quality of its school food and Food For Life Served Here with a tasting programme during the autumn term.

Each primary school will be offering free samples of food to parents and carers in the playground either before or after school on a selected date. Providing a fantastic opportunity to meet up and let them try food first hand which their children will be enjoying in school.

Hady Primary School in Chesterfield was one of the first schools to host a tasting session which took place earlier in November.

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Parents were invited into the school hall to enjoy samples of tomato quiche, carrot cake and warm homemade rolls.

It was a great success and shows the commitment of the school and the catering team working together.

Coun Carol Hart, council cabinet member for health and communities, said: “The council’s school catering service provides more than 50,000 meals across the county every day as part of its commitment to ensuring Derbyshire children have a happy, healthy start in life which also helps them to learn well.

“Our teams work hard to provide children with well-balanced, nutritious food and, with the help of the Food for Life programme, pupils are also learning about where their food comes from.”