Falkirk Council has achieved Food for Life Served Here Bronze certification, becoming the 17th council in Scotland to meet the nationally recognised standard for the quality, sourcing and preparation of school meals.
Presented by Soil Association Scotland, the certification recognises a commitment to cooking from scratch using ingredients that meet strict welfare and sourcing standards. Around 11,000 primary school pupils are now benefitting from the changes, which include seasonal fruit and vegetables, freshly prepared soups and salads that are all available free to every child.
Around 30% of the menu is now sourced from Scotland, and kitchen staff have noticed a marked increase in children choosing soup, fruit and salad since those items became free. This has also helped them become more adventurous with their food choices.
Food for Life Scotland Programme Manager, Sarah Gowanlock (pictured above left), said: ‘Three quarters of all dishes are now cooked from scratch and this certification is in recognition of more than two years of working with council caterers who took a number of steps to ensure they met each standard.
‘Food for Life Served Here is a fantastic framework through which school caterers can provide food that’s better for the climate, nature and health, while also supporting the local economy. We are thrilled to welcome Falkirk Council as the latest local authority to achieve the Food for Life Served Here Bronze certification for its school meals service.’
Falkirk Council’s Portfolio Holder for Education, Cllr Iain Sinclair, added: ‘Our catering teams take pride in ensuring every meal is something children genuinely look forward to, and this certification is recognition of their hard work and dedication. It’s about making meals fun and enjoyable – not just to fuel their bodies but also help fuel their learning too.’
Congratulations to Falkirk Council for supporting Scotland’s food businesses and Good Food Nation ambitions.’
www.soilassociation.org/what-we-do/soil-association-scotland/