Gold standard school meals in a silver anniversary year

Schools across Northumberland have been celebrating their meals service in style, with a range of initiatives aimed at highlighting everything that is great about school catering.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA)’s National School Meals Week (NSMW), which ran from 12th to 16th November.
This annual event is marked by schools up and down the country and serves to promote the quality and value of the hot, cooked meals delivered every school day by LACA’s members.
Councillor Wayne Daley, cabinet member for children’s services at Northumberland County Council said:  “The council prides itself on running an extremely good school meals service.  All of the menus produced are in line with the Government’s food standards and the team uses software to analyse the ingredients’ nutritional value before generating the menus.  In this way we can ensure that we are serving a healthy, nutritious menu that keeps children fuelled throughout the day.
“The event was about celebrating the people who provide our great school meals, and I  congratulate all schools in Northumberland that took part.”
A poll this year by LACA found that curry followed by chocolate sponge was officially voted The Nation’s Favourite School Meal and the campaign organisers hope that many kitchens will recognise this by adding it to their menu.
Northumberland County Council’s first and primary school winter menu 2018 already features a curry, as well as chocolate surprise cake.
Another highlight of this year’s NSMW was #cookeditmyselfie, in which caterers, teachers, parents or suppliers were encouraged to post photos of school meals on Twitter using this hashtag.  A judging panel will choose the best one and the winning school will receive £500 of marketing support or equipment.
A NSMW Roadshow visited all ten LACA regions to engage members and pupils with its message championing the benefits of a nutritious, healthy school meal, which include: Education, Concentration, Attainment, Energy, and Nutrition.
To find out more about Northumberland County Council’s school meals service visit www.northumberland.gov.uk/Education/Schools/Meals