New lunch menu at Shropshire’s primary schools

Press release - 29 August 2007

Shropshire’s primary schools will be serving a new and more varied lunch menu when the new term starts next week.

The new menu will offer meat supplied by local butchers and reared in Shropshire and surrounding counties, and there will also be a greater emphasis on fish.

Ann Hirst, Area manager with Shropshire County Council’s school meals service, said: “This term’s menu is more varied and interesting, and we have introduced food that will encourage children to try different things, including chicken chow mein, mixed bean casserole, and welsh fruit crumble.

“The majority of all food is freshly prepared daily in the school kitchens, and we have reduced even further the amounts of processed and pre-prepared food on the menu. We are also sourcing more ingredients than ever before from local suppliers and producers.

“This year the price of a main course and dessert has risen by 5p to £1.75 but this still represents excellent value for money, and provides a far more wholesome alternative to many of the packed lunches that children often bring to school.”

Some of the other items on the new menu are organic meat balls, salmon fillets, homemade pizzas, freshly made beefburgers, cheese and onion flan, ham carbonara and a weekly traditional roasts of chicken and pork. A choice of fresh seasonal vegetables and salads are available every day as well as fresh fruit, yoghurts and hot puddings.

Each child will be given a leaflet detailing the full menu leaflet to allow parents to see the meals that are available

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Further information

1) The new menu is attached.

2) Reporters and photographers are invited to visit a local primary school for lunch to try the new menu. To arrange, please contact the chosen school in advance, or call Bill Campbell on (01743) 254439.

3) Shropshire County Council’s school meals service has spent the past four years transforming the food served to pupils. In addition, all meals follow the government nutritional guidelines introduced in September 2006.

The new government standards ensure that:

- School meals are nutritionally balanced with restrictions on fat, sugar and salt content.
- Fried food can only be served twice per week.
- No reconstituted meats, confectionery (such as chocolate bars), or savoury snacks (such as crisps), or fizzy drinks are served.
- More fresh fruit and vegetables are served.