School Meals

Learning and health go hand in hand. The good health of children is a prerequisite for educational achievement.

Scout Road Academy therefore recognises the importance of promoting healthy school lunches.

We provide wholesome, nutritionally balanced meals the school children will eat and encourage children to make healthier eating choices, which means eating more fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates and cutting down on foods high in fat and sugar. We want our children to eat a variety of foods and not become fussy eaters. We need your help to make the message clear to children that school meals are nutritious and healthy.

Our menus demonstrate their compliance with national standards or guidelines on food and nutrition.
At least 75% of dishes on the menu are freshly prepared (on site or at a local hub kitchen) from unprocessed ingredients.
All meat is from farms which satisfy UK animal welfare standards.
No fish are served from the Marine Conservation Society ‘fish to avoid’ list.
Eggs are from free range hens.
No undesirable additives or artificial trans fats are used.
No genetically modified ingredients are used.
Free drinking water is prominently available.
Menus are seasonal and in-season produce is highlighted for pupils.
Information is on display about food provenance.
Menus provide for all dietary and cultural needs.
All suppliers have been verified to ensure they apply appropriate food safety standards.
Catering staff are supported with skills training and are engaged in food education.

A few facts about our School lunches

· We have a varied menu and children have a daily choice.

· All meals are freshly prepared in our kitchen.

· We use locally sourced meat and vegetables and all our supply lines have traceability certificates. We continually research new suppliers.

· We very rarely buy pre-packed / processed foods.

· We encourage your child to try new things and eat a varied diet.

· We keep you informed about what your child is eating by sending you the menu.

· We offer a friendly, helpful and flexible service.

Why have School lunches?

· Research shows that a hot meal at lunchtime means that your child can concentrate better in the afternoon.

· We can help to ensure your child has a healthy balanced diet, getting their “five a day”.

· School lunches are part of our school’s social life.

· We help to ensure your child has good table manners and uses a knife and fork

· Eating school lunches means your child avoids the high salt, sugar, additives and processed meat content of many packed lunch products.

· Packed lunches can be repetitive and do not encourage children to eat a variety of foods.

The cost of a school meal is £2.65 per day which is payable in advance via the School Money website.

Our aim is to ensure that all children receive a nutritionally balanced meal each day, however we do understand that there are times when a particular child will not want what is being served. On these occasions we will find an alternative for your child and use our judgement to ensure that children do not always select the same options day after day.

Link to ideas for healthy packed lunches

Is your child entitled to Free School Meals?

If your child is eligible for free school meals they may also be eligible to claim

School Milk

School milk is excellent as a mid-morning drink. It provides a nutritional boost and keeps children hydrated between breakfast and lunch. If you would like to register your child to have milk at school, please click on the Cool Milk logo above.