Councillor praises school meals after award success

Despite the challenges of serving Scotland’s largest council area, Highland Council is celebrating after achieving the Soil Association Scotland’s silver and bronze Food for Life Served Here awards in its primary schools and nurseries for the ninth year running.

Lochaline Primary was one of the schools that won the silver award, while all other schools and nurseries have the bronze award.

The Food for Life Served Here award is a widely respected and independently assessed scheme, supported by the Scottish Government, which supports local authorities to put more local food on pupils’ plates and serve healthy, sustainable meals. It recognises and rewards councils that are serving food made from fresh ingredients, free from undesirable additives and trans fats, that meets UK welfare standards, and complies with national nutrition standards.

The council serves 10,740 children a day across 161 primary schools and nurseries.

Lochaber councillor and chairman of the care, learning and housing committee Andrew Baxter said: ‘I would like to acknowledge the excellent work our catering staff do and thank them for their hard work and dedication. I would also like to thank our teaching staff for all their work in promoting to their pupils the many benefits of eating healthy foods.

‘As a parent with two primary school children, I have always been a huge fan of the excellent meals that our catering service provides in our schools.

‘The quality food they serve is carefully planned to provide the best possible nutrition.’