24 July 2012
For the third consecutive year, Caerphilly County Borough Council's Catering Services are freezing the price of school meals in primary and secondary schools across the borough for the new school year in September.
Although the price of a primary school meal will be just £1.80 and a secondary school meal will cost just £2.05, taste and nutrition will not be compromised. School children will still benefit from first class foods, including nutritious and high quality products from local suppliers.
The Welsh Government recently introduced new guidelines for school meals, which Caerphilly county borough council have wholeheartedly embraced. The Appetite for Life campaign aims to see all school children in Wales consuming food and drink which meet specific nutritional standards. Primary schools in Caerphilly will be compliant with these standards by September while secondary schools will meet the guidelines by September 2013.
Cllr Dave Poole, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services, said, "The authority is committed to providing tasty, nutritious and exciting meals for our school children. With many budgetary restraints, it would be assumed that lower quality products are used in order to keep prices low. However, we can assure parents that all food and drink available to their children at school are first class and meet the specifications outlined by Welsh Government."
As well as working with local suppliers, one way in which the Catering Service will meet the standards of the Appetite for Life guidelines is through their recent link with Birds Eye. The partnership has launched a new, healthier, fish finger which will comply with the nutritional standards and won't strain budgets.
The new, non pre-fry, Omega 3 Pollock Fish Finger was launched in primary schools in Caerphilly in June, and come September it will also be available in secondary schools.
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