Bolton's school meals taste challenge kicks off today

Council bosses are confident that its primary and secondary school meals are of the highest quality and would like parents to visit the market this week to test the school menu for themselves. Councillor Ismail Ibrahim, Bolton Council's executive member for Environmental Services, said: "We've really improved the standards of our meals over the last few years and we want to invite parents to taste and see the meals and how they're prepared first-hand. "We want as many people as possible to visit Bolton Market, tuck in and let us know what they think. We really need to get mums and dads on board to help us promote healthy eating at home as well as at school." Different dinners will be cooked up each day and parents can try foods inspired by cuisine from across the continents including Thai spiced fish cake, kheema loaf and creamy tomato pancakes. Desserts which can be sampled include strawberry fruit fool and oat cookies. Catering officers from Bolton Council will also be on hand to offer advice and information. The taste test will kick off from 10.00am to 2.00pm every day. Figures released in July showed the uptake of school dinners in primary and secondary schools in Bolton was higher than the national average. Councillor Ismail Ibrahim added: "We sell on average 12,000 meals per day and we're being even more innovative with the menus. We consult with schools, student councils, and individual School Nutrition Action Groups which means we can offer our pupils the healthy food they enjoy. All our school meals comply with the government's nutritional standards."