School Meals

The council is committed to providing high quality meals to all pupils in Lambeth schools and believes that high quality traditional hot meals are important to the overall development of children including their educational progress.

Lambeth Children and Young People's Service employs a team of professionals to manage a central school meals contract and work in partnership with Harrison Catering Services. The majority of schools across the borough have chosen to be included in this contract.

The Council has developed a partnership with professionals in the Primary Care Trust. The partnership is to focus on the development of the school meals service and to work together to address the health concerns attributed to children's diets.

About the service

We deliver a local needs meal service to a diverse community. There is a choice from 3 hot main meals with at last one vegetarian option; Vegetables and salads; hot sweet; fruit and yoghurt.

The menu suits local needs and our food policy outlines standards required including prohibiting and controlling the use of some additives.

We focus on fresh food – freshly cooked food produced from quality ingredients, sourced from reputable suppliers. Food is GM free and the menus exceed national nutritional standards.

Five a Day – we provide fresh fruit, salad and vegetable selections backed up by sensible cooking methods avoiding unnecessary use of added fats, salts and sugars.

What's for Lunch in Lambeth: Menu for Summer 2008

In addition:

• 93% of the dishes on the menus provided are freshly prepared on site.
• Menus are sent to parents
• Pupils are consulted through school councils
• Parent / pupil meal tasting events held regularly
• Taster pots will be available for children to try before they select.

Menus are specially created with particular consideration given to the following:

• Best quality raw ingredients used
• Dishes authentically produced
• A greater proportion of home cooked, fresh and nutritious foods
• The variety offered will reflect the needs of a wide-ranging customer base

To find out more, please read our Food and health policy.