Quality Standard beef and lamb go down a storm with school children

Chef Stephen Conway, from a luxury country house hotel in Melton Mowbray, was tasked with coming up with the recipes for the county's School Food Support Service (SFSS) in conjunction with EBLEX. Hugh Judd, EBLEX foodservice project manager, said: "This really is an exciting project particularly as it means Quality Standard beef and lamb will be served up at over 200 schools in Leicestershire, a great result for the farmers and others who put extra effort into supplying quality meat. "EBLEX Quality Standard beef and lamb is independently audited and has been through rigorous quality controls throughout the production process from farm to table. So as well as knowing that their children will be eating healthy, nutritious meals throughout the week, parents can rest assured that the schools are sourcing meat through a fully assured supply chain." Esme Sidaway, seven, certainly enjoyed the food. She said: "I think the school dinners have got much, much better. They are really nice. I like the bright colours on the plate, and the beef is really yummy. I prefer school dinners to packed lunches." After working on the dishes throughout the summer Stephen dished up his creations to a 'tasting panel' of enthusiastic primary children and then 125 school cook supervisors tried out the new dishes at a conference in August. Stephen said: "When I started working on this project and going into schools in Leicestershire, I was amazed when I saw the quality of the meals. Everything is fresh – from the vegetables to the fruit. And the schools make their own fresh bread every day. The quality is absolutely amazing. "All parents should save themselves time – and give their children the best by giving them school dinners. I think about school dinners that I had when I was young, and I see now that there is no comparison to what they have today in Leicestershire schools."