School meals and education catering

School food across Plymouth is recognised nationally as being amongst the best in the country. Every school has its own production kitchen which means that all schools are able to offer freshly prepared hot food each and every day of the school year.

Of course, mandatory standards apply to the provision of food in maintained schools as set out below:

• the mandatory Food Standards for School Lunches (September 2007)
• the Food Standards for School Food Other Than School Lunch (breakfast clubs, tuck services and after school clubs) (September 2008) and
• the Nutrient-based Standards for School Lunches served in all schools (primary, secondary and special schools) (September 2008 and 2009)

The menus for primary and special schools where school lunch and other food is provided by the Education Catering Service meet all of these requirements.

We ensure that we are at the forefront of the school food industry and national developments to support our work with our schools.

We are active members of LACA (Local Authority Caterers Association) and chair the south west region. We sit on the Department for Education's School Food Reference Group, work with the Children's Food Trust and are currently working directly with the Government's current review of school food - The School Food Plan - which is due to be announced in the summer.

Along with colleagues from neighbouring authorities and across the country we are constantly looking to identify ways of delivering high quality, balanced menu choices that are also practical and popular with customers.

Visit our menus and meal prices page for this year's menu and prices.

School meals in Plymouth leaflet [1MB]