School meals funding varies significantly across the UK. Scotland receive £3.30, Wales get £3.20, in Northern Ireland it is £2.60 and England lags behind with £2.58.
Speaking about school meals funding, Jennifer said: “The biggest challenge school caterers are now facing is to not compromise on food quality or quantity. With inflation increases on staffing and suppliers having to pass on their costs to us, it’s now, more than ever, harder to provide nutritious, healthy, visually appealing, tasty school meals for £2.58.
“I would love to see this amount increased to bring England in line with the rest of the country on their free school meal allowance so we can make sure every child has the same food opportunities in our schools. As school caterers, we can continue providing students with the good food they have always enjoyed and need for healthy bodies and brains in their school day.”
The OCS Culinary Classroom programme enables chefs to refine their skills, explore new cooking techniques and use alternative ingredients. Jennifer, who was a participant in the programme, now leads workshops sharing her expertise on preparing dishes using game meat which is both nutritious and economical.
OCS chefs are encouraged to experiment with recipes and introduce variety, ensuring that school meals remain engaging for students, making the most of cost-effective ingredients and incorporating bold flavours.
A spokesperson for OCS added: “We adopt a resourceful approach to managing budgets, ensuring that every penny is spent wisely without compromising quality. Our chefs are trained to make the most of seasonal and local ingredients, reducing costs while promoting sustainability.
“While OCS excels at working within budgets, we also advocate for increased investment in school catering. Jennifer Brown has been a vocal proponent of raising free school meal allowances, emphasising the importance of adequate funding for delivering high-quality food.
“We are dedicated to using schools as hubs for community support. Initiatives like Cook Together, Eat Together help families access affordable meals, using home-grown and seasonal produce in line with our commitment to sustainability. These efforts demonstrate how budgeting, when combined with innovation and advocacy, can extend to benefits beyond the kitchen.”