Eden takes on Bedfordshire schools

Worth £5 million a year in sales, Eden has stepped into the breach after previous incumbent Scolarest exited its contract early. Marketing director Michelle Oliver says: "The new service includes more traditional desserts, daily freshly baked bread, the use of fresh meat and vegetables, including a variety of local and organic produce, Farm Assured/Red Tractor products wherever possible and a daily seasonal fresh fruit pot. "Eden's priority is to offer and promote healthy eating for children with a range of tasty menus. Menus are balanced across the week in order to provide all the nutrients the pupils need. "One of our greatest skills is putting together favourite recipes that contain lots of hidden healthy ingredients such as vegetables, fruit, pulses, oats, fortified cereals and wholegrains." Bedfordshire County Councillor Rita Drinkwater says: "Our priority is to ensure children in our schools can enjoy a healthy and nutritious meal each day. Eden is going to offer a tremendous service and I am looking forward to tasting some of the food when I begin visiting our schools again in September." The first day back will see a menu offering Country Pork Casserole, Fresh Organic Cabbage, Sweetcorn and Creamy Mashed Potatoes followed by Crunchy Plum Crumble and Custard. The pork is low in fat and no salt or oil is used, while the Crunchy Plum Crumble contains one full portion of fruit. Vegetarians can have Pineapple and Sweetcorn pizza, a homemade recipe that uses a mix of brown and white flour to increase the amount of fibre for the pupils. Other dishes on the new menu include: Handmade Salmon Fishcakes, Hearty Meat Pie and Gravy, Topside of Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Spicy Bean Bake and treats including: Mandarin Mousse Cake, Apple and Apricot Cobbler and Eve's pudding with custard. Oliver says that as well as new menus there will be numerous activities for pupils to take part in. "In the Upper schools there will be a Taste of Spain happening in October and a surprise 'Alternative Christmas lunch' will also be on offer. In Lower and Middle schools there will be a Harvest Fair with a chance to grow your own cress and on Bonfire Night there is a chance to win a cosy scarf. "Educating pupils about food and healthy lifestyles is an important part of Eden's work and Bedfordshire schools will be able to enjoy Nutrition Workshops, Healthy Eating Posters and the new 5 Food Rainbow which encourages children to choose a full meal from the essential food groups." The caterer will be distributing menu leaflets for every parent, a parent's newsletter called 'Food Matters' and offering Cook at Home recipes, Cooking Classes and Sow and Grow sessions. The contract covers 133 lower schools, 26 middle schools, two upper schools, five special schools and six nursery schools. Eden is the education catering arm of Initial Catering, part of the Rentokil Initial Group.