Any UK school caterer can enter the awards free of charge simply by submitting their menus to ProVeg UK for review. Menus will be scored against a checklist of evidence-based actions around meat reduction and the promotion of plant-based food.
For each action completed, schools will receive points to help secure a Bronze, Silver or Gold award, recognising their efforts in promoting healthy and climate-friendly food.
Jimmy Pierson, director of ProVeg UK, said: “We’re delighted to officially launch the ProVeg School Plates Awards to recognise and encourage the wonderful work school caterers are doing to create healthier and more sustainable menus across the country.
“We know we need to eat less meat and dairy for the future of this planet that our children will inherit from us. We’re also in a childhood obesity crisis with children not eating nearly enough fibre, which is found only in plant-based foods. So we want to celebrate the pioneering school caterers that are addressing these two crises through better school food. It’s about time they received national recognition.”
ProVeg UK will also announce two Annual School Plates Champions who will be the school caterers scoring the most points overall.
Since ProVeg launched in 2018, the NGO has helped to turn over eight million school dinners meat-free or plant-based, helping schools to reduce food-related emissions and develop tasty, nutritious menus.