Healthy meals healthy minds
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
18/08/2008
Turkey twizzlers, chicken nuggets and beef burgers have been consigned to the history books with pupils attending schools in the borough now eating some of the healthiest school meals in the country.
All processed foods are now firmly off the menu with youngsters eating healthy, nutritional and multi-cultural foods such as curry, jacket potatoes and fruit salads.
Around 10,000 meals are cooked from scratch each day by the council’s civic services catering team. And the meals provide parents with an excellent value for money deal, with two courses, including a choice of bread and salad, fresh fruit and dessert costing only £1.70.
The team source all food from quality suppliers and prepare it on the day of serving in hygienic surroundings by fully trained staff. There are 33 production kitchens in the borough, supplying the freshly cooked meals to their own schools and other schools and nurseries in the borough.
Cllr Antony Lillis, cabinet member for community and children’s services, said: “It is a fact that healthy, balanced meals improve young people’s concentration and performance in school. They also increase resistance to illness and introduce good habits for later life. I am delighted that parents can send their children to school safe in the knowledge that they shall be keeping a nutritional diet.”
In secondary schools a selection of home cooked dishes of the day are available together with a range of healthy snack items including salads, filled wraps and baguettes.
Breakfast clubs run in a number of schools, mostly with the help of sponsorship from local businesses and organisations.
Cllr Lillis added: “You are what you eat, so it is wonderful that the council is contributing to a healthy-living lifestyle by providing such good quality food.”
Promotional events take place during the year and the council works with schools to provide a lunch menu that will compliment the activity or theme, for example, International Week.
Free school meals are available for pupils whose parents/carers are in receipt of certain benefits. If you think your child may be eligible for free school meals telephone 0845 803 1020.
