Food for Life at Bury schools

Wednesday, 7 December 2022 16:50

By David Murphy

Sharon Jarvis (right), senior catering operations manager, and Susan Mahon, kitchen manager, at St Andrews in Radcliffe.

Bury Catering – Bury Council’s school dinner service – has achieved a Food for Life Served Here Bronze Award from the Soil Association for serving healthy and sustainable meals.

The award recognises caterers who are serving meals that go beyond meeting the School Food Standards (nutritional guidelines) and ensure that children are being served meals that are not only delicious but also good for health, nature and the climate.

Bury Catering provides 16,000 healthy and sustainable meals every school day as part of the Bury Climate Plan, and employs 270 local staff across 58 primary, secondary and special schools. There are menus for diabetics, a gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan menu and other special diets, and the food is completely nut free. It also satisfies the multi-cultural requirements of each school.

Councillor Tahir Rafiq, cabinet member for corporate affairs and HR, said: “It is vital that children are eating healthy meals in school, especially given the cost of living and rising price of food.

“We are delighted that the quality of our school meals has been recognised by the Soil Association, and that our young people are getting the nutrition they need for their growing and learning.”

For more details about school meals and sample menus, go to https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10417

Sharon Jarvis, senior catering operations manager, said: “Despite the problems caused by the Covid pandemic and rising food costs, the kitchen staff and management were determined to prove the quality of our ingredients and service to our schools and parents. We are thrilled to have been awarded Food for Life bronze – it means a lot to us.”

Ruth Galpine, associate director for healthy and sustainable diets at the Soil Association, said: “Food for Life Served Here caterers are leading the way in improving food culture in schools. Achieving a Food for Life Served Here Award is a fantastic accomplishment and a true reflection of a caterer’s commitment to serving school meals that are nutritious as well as tasty. We know that good food is a crucial part of the school day and, with fresh, healthy meals being served, students are equipped with the fuel they need for their learning and development.”