Hampshire freezes school meals prices for fourth year

Councillor Roy Perry, Hampshire County Council's deputy leader and executive lead member for children's services, approved the maintaining of the price of school meals at its current level of £2 per meal. The council says that around 7 million meals are likely to be served in Hampshire's primary schools by the end of the school year based on the current take-up. More than one in three pupils (a total of around 34,000 children each day), are now eating a school meal, putting Hampshire's percentage meal take-up at its highest ever level. Figures for the Autumn term show a 10% increase on the same time last year. The rise in popularity of the meals is being attributed to the addition of a number of tasty lunchtime favourites on the menu, including roast dinners which are now available twice a week, turkey curry, pizza, and fish on a Friday. Throughout the year youngsters can select a main meal, a side helping of vegetables and salad together with either potatoes, pasta or rice. Dessert is a choice of fresh fruit or handmade pudding such as raspberry love cake and custard, or date and banana cake. Every meal combines to make up a third of the recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals for a child over the weekly menu, which also helps support learning in the classroom.