Provided by the city’s school caterer, Cordia Services LLP, all dishes are school complaint and have been created with input from pupils, parents and teachers. It will also offer halal and vegetarian options, and cater for those with dietary requirements.
As well as a main meal, pupils will be offered a drink, dessert and unlimited fruit, vegetables, soup, bread and milk.
The news follows the Scottish government’s free primary school meals policy, which saw primary 1-3 kids benefit from free meals from January ’15 – December ’16. Claiming to serve over 5 million pupils, Cordia said ‘parents saved up to £363 per child per year.’
By extending the programme to P4, more than one million additional free meals ‘could be served’ within the school year.
Julia McCreadie, head of encore and facilities management at Cordia, said: “We’re thrilled that primary four children are now eligible for free school meals across Glasgow.
“As the figures suggest, parents are seeing savings of hundreds of pounds, and it is our hope that a large uptake of free meals for P4 will see these savings increase even further.
“We are constantly reviewing and updating the Fuel Zone menu with input from staff and parents, to offer a healthy and enjoyable meal for children and we’ve seen the benefits of this as the Fuel Zone uptake continues to grow.
“Parents are encouraged to take full advantage and enjoy cost savings while their children enjoy a variety of healthy nutrition meals.”
Councillor Chris Cunningham, City Convener for Education, Skills and Early Years added: “It was really the natural step to expand free school meals for all P4s.
“We want to do all that we can to help Glasgow’s families and this is another saving that I know will be welcomed and the children benefit for a nutritionally balanced meal every school day.”