School dinners to remain at £2 each (From Salisbury Journal)

School dinners to remain at £2 each

6:50pm Sunday 5th February 2012 in New Forest News By Miranda Robertson

THE price of school meals served in Hampshire is to be kept the same for the fourth consecutive year, at £2 per meal.

Hampshire County Council’s catering service serves school meals at all the primary school in the New Forest including Bransgore Primary, Breamore Primary, Fordingbridge Infant and Junior, Poulner Infant and Junior and Ringwood Infant and Junior.

Executive lead member for children’s services Roy Perry approved freezing the price of school meals at his latest decision day.

There has been an increased take-up of the meals, with around seven million likely to be served in the county’s primary schools by the end of the school year based on the current take-up.

More than one in three pupils – about 34,000 children each day – are now eating a school meal, the highest ever level in the county.

Figures for the autumn term show a ten per cent 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, turkey curry, pizza and fish on a Friday. For vegetarians choices include sweet potato and lentil curry, vegetable and bean bake and Italian tomato pasta.

Dessert is a choice of fresh fruit or handmade pudding such as raspberry love cake and custard, or date and banana cake.

Every meal makes up a third of the recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals for a child over the weekly menu, which the council says also helps support learning in the classroom.

The meals are made from ingredients sourced from 26 local suppliers, including locally grown fruit and vegetables, pork and beef from Hampshire farms and free range eggs from the New Forest, which recently resulted in the catering service being awarded the national Good Egg award.

The meals also meet the criteria of the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group for the removal of additives that can affect a child’s behaviour.

Cllr Perry said: “I am mindful that we are living in difficult economic times so hope this news is welcomed by parents.

“In my view the meals represent excellent value for money providing a nutritious lunchtime meal for pupils.”