Mealtimes won’t be the same for pupils as they return to classes

Dundee and Perth youngsters to be offered ‘cold, bagged meals’ – and urged to avoid gatherings

When pupils across Tayside and Fife return to schools next month, mealtimes are among the services that are set to look drastically different to what they were before the pandemic hit.

With recommendations being given to avoid large gatherings and crowded spaces, along with the sharing of equipment and utensils to be minimised, changes are having to be made how the meal service will be delivered.

School meals across Dundee, Angus and Perth are provided by third party contractor Tayside Contracts, which provides a variety of options for primary and secondary pupils every week.

But local authorities in these areas have instructed the catering service that they are planning to offer a cold, bagged meal until at least October in a bid to ensure the safety of staff and pupils once the new academic year gets under way.

School pupils across Dundee will be served “cold, bagged meals” until at least October to ensure the safety of staff and children, according to the local authority.

Plans are being made to resume serving hot meals when pupils return from their October break but a full meal service may not be up and running again until the new year.

Angus Council confirmed school pupils across the region will have access to meal service upon their return next month, but how they will access them will depend on the school setting.

Similar to Dundee, pupils across Perth and Kinross will also receive a cold, bagged meal when they return to school in August.

However, they will also be offered the option of a hot snack takeaway and will be encouraged to keep their distance from each other in the dining hall.

Shelagh McLean, head of education with Fife Council, said: “We have plans in place, based on the current advice.

“This advice includes the recommendations that in both primary and secondary settings the preference should be to avoid large gatherings and crowded spaces and sharing of equipment and utensils should be minimised.

“We’ll be giving more advice to parents and pupils before the schools go back.”

We’ll be giving more advice to parents and pupils before the schools go back. SHELAGH MCLEAN, FIFE COUNCIL HEAD OF EDUCATION

Picture: PA. Some pupils across Tayside might not get a hot school meal until at least October.