The award, which has been awarded to all of East Lothian’s 37 primary schools, ensures the food being served is great for pupils’ health, good for the environment and beneficial for the local economy. The scheme is run by Soil Association Scotland and funded by Scottish Government.
As the country faces a cost-of-living crisis, catering teams are under increased pressure to balanced costs, whilst school meals have become more important than ever as a nutritional safety net for pupils whose families might be struggling.
Holding the bronze award since 2013, East Lothian catering teams ensure that a minimum of 75% of dishes are freshly prepared from unprocessed ingredients. Meals are also free from undesirable trans fats, sweeteners and additives. Caterers use free range eggs and higher welfare meat as well as using ingredients from sustainable sources.
Sarah Duley, head of food at Soil Association Scotland, said: “We are facing challenging times with prices going up and uncertainty about the future, but the council catering team has worked with the Food for Life Scotland team to analyse and adapt recipes and balance costs to create a menu that is nutritious for pupils, supports the council’s broader environmental goals and invests in the local economy. This is an inspiring achievement that shows what is possible.”
To upgrade to the Food for Life Served Here Silver award, the council is now using 5% of the ingredient spend for school meals on organic produce. The council achieved this through purchasing Scottish organic milk and dairy products and swapping to local organic flour from Mungoswells farm in Drem.
Cllr Fiona Dugdale, cabinet spokesperson for education and children's and family services, added: “The School Meals service provides nutritious lunches enjoyed by our primary school pupils across the county.
"The achievement of the Silver Award recognises both the commitment and skills of our school kitchen staff to create fresh meals daily and the successful procurement of sourcing as much locally grown and produced ingredients as possible.”