Pupils enjoy mac and cheese after pasta revolution.

Cheesy changes to macaroni after petition

When eight-year-old Angus Park lined up for school dinners, he was anticipating a treat because one of his favourite dishes was on the menu.

Moments later, however, it was clear to the youngster he was faced with a mound of mediocre macaroni – someone had meddled with the recipe.

The usually quiet Angus could not contain his disappointment at his dismal dish, saying “It wasn’t cheesy enough and I like it really cheesy.”

The budding food critic soon dashed off a letter to the council, calling for chiefs to reheat the lunchtime favourite. He even started a petition at Gargunnock Primary School in Stirling and soon had the signatures of a number of classmates to present to decision-makers.

Impressed by the pupils’ enterprise, Stirling Council had replied to Angus within days to say it was willing to change the recipe. It also offered pupils the chance to choose their favourite version of the dish and despatched caterers TraceyWalker and Marianne Hendry to the school for the crucial taste test.

This one is definitely nicer than the one we normally have.

ANGUS PARK

The duo prepared two macaroni cheese dishes for the waiting diners – including Angus’s nine- year- old brother, Matthew – who then went to the ballot box to vote for their favourite.

In a victory for the pupils, their choice will now be introduced to the menu of every primary and secondary school in the Stirling area from August.

Extra cheese seemed to be the choice, though the winning recipe wasn’t the one chosen by Angus himself. Nonetheless, he gave his approval to the new macaroni, saying: “This one is definitely nicer than the one we normally have.”

Mum Morag said she is “very proud” of Angus who she said is “usually a quiet wee boy”.

“I wouldn’t say he was a foodie but he does like cheese and so when they changed the recipe for the school’s macaroni, he certainly noticed,” she said.

Stirling Council’s Margaret Gilmour said Angus’s success at changing the recipe of one of the most popular dishes on the school lunch menu proved the value of “pupil power”.

“It’s great that Angus and his friends used their initiative to get in touch with us, to help us improve our school meals.”

Cheesy grins: sampling some macaroni are, from left, Elise Smith, Angus Park and Ruby Conroy. Below: the petition started by Angus and the council’s reply.