5 reasons to have a school meal

Posted on August 24, 2022 by chelseykirklees

Children who eat a well-balanced diet at lunchtime are more likely to have better concentration levels in the afternoon, improving their learning, behaviour and health.

Choosing a school meal from our award-winning Kirklees Catering Service has many benefits, here are just five that we are sharing with you today:

1 Healthy well-balanced meals you can trust

By choosing our school meals you can rest assured that your child has a tasty and nutritious meal every day, packed full of the goodness that growing bodies need.

Our meals have been awarded the prestigious Silver ‘Catermark’ accreditation from Food for Life which means you can be assured that the food we serve is healthy, free-range, sustainable, fresh, local, seasonal, organic and traceable.

And we help to reduce sugar intake by using ‘Sugar Smart’ desserts to introduce children to sugar free alternatives and continue to develop recipes that reduce added sugar.

2 There’s something for everyone

There’s lots of variety with food to suit all tastes. With three options every day and a three week menu cycle our meals offer a range of choices. We cater for all tastes and dietary needs including vegetarian and Halal options and currently provide over 1600 special diets in schools across the district.

Alongside our main meal choices there are self-serve salad bars where pupils can help themselves to a range of salad items and homemade bread. And for afters there are hot dessert options as well as a range of cold desserts, home baking and fresh fruit is available every day.

3 They’re hassle free

School meals mean no packed lunches to shop, plan and prepare for, and no washing up – so one less job for busy parents and carers to worry about!

With easy online payment options and the chance to see what your child is eating you can be confident that your child has a healthy well balanced nutritious meal every day.

4 Sharing meals is fun

Lunch time is an important part of the school day, giving children a break to play and eat lunch with friends, our experienced school catering teams are on hand to help pupils make the most of their lunch break.

We host fun theme days throughout the year including seasonal specials, ‘Big Breakfast’ and ‘Plant Power’ days and more to encourage pupils to try new foods.

In our primary schools the ‘Munchin’ brand has been developed to engage pupils with our service and promote healthy eating from an early age and our friendly school meals dragon ‘Munch’ sometimes even drops in for a visit!

Sharing a meal with friends at school is fun and can help to develop good eating habits and social skills.

5 Schools meals are great value

A school meal provides excellent value for money and allows you to budget, plan and

pay with easy online options. They are a cost effective way to ensure your child has a healthy balanced meal at lunchtimes.

In Reception class, year 1 and 2, school meals are free for every single child, regardless of financial circumstances – speak to your school for more information and to sign up.

In Primary School, years 3-6 a two course meal costs £2.40.

In Secondary school students have a wide selection of individually priced meals and snacks to choose from and set meal deals are available at a typical cost of £2.55.

Our complete school meal offer is available at all schools for all children eligible for free school meals.

Supporting local jobs for local people

Ok we said five, but another reason is that by using our catering service you are supporting local jobs for local people. We are proud of our award-winning catering teams and are always on the lookout for good people to join us – would you like to work with us?

Find our current vacancies here: Catering and Cleaning (kirklees.gov.uk)