North Yorkshire school children will be joining in the celebrations for National School Meals Week, a campaign to promote healthy lifestyles and healthy school dinners in primary and secondary schools.
The week which continues from 5th to 9th November, will include a range of activities in schools across the county. Themed menus for each day will include bonfire night; traditional roasts and local dishes; food from around the world and end with “pudding day” on Friday when school chefs will dish up some old time favourites.
The week has been organised by the Local Authority Caterers Association to encourage young people to have a healthy school meal. But children in North Yorkshire’s schools will also be able to celebrate the very high standards of the school meals service.
School kitchens across the county are well known for producing fresh meals every day using local produce supplied by companies based in North Yorkshire. The school meals service has worked hard at playing its part in improving dietary intake, making sure that all meals served every day are nutritionally balanced.
Fresh meat and poultry sourced from local and regional producers is a feature of menus this autumn as will seasonal fruit and vegetables including broccoli, kale, leeks and cabbage. During September and October children in North Yorkshire schools were able to enjoy English apples and pears with all meals cooked fresh in school kitchens.
County Councillor Arthur Barker, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Schools said:
Everything is cooked fresh, nothing is pre-prepared and all the ingredients we use are of very good quality and are local whenever possible. When you have good quality ingredients you make good food and if children are given good food they are in a better position to become better learners. Children this week will clearly show their appreciation of the choice and range of food on offer.
