School menus

Our menus are nationally recognised and have been awarded the Soil Association's top award – the Gold Catering Mark. This makes Plymouth the first local authority caterer in the country to hold this award.

Certificate of registration [517KB]

The Gold Catering Mark recognises the hard work and dedication of the education catering team in sourcing local produce, including a range of organic items and ingredients, and developing recipes and menus which are truly fresh, seasonal and local.

Working together with our suppliers, frontline staff and schools we are able to show that it is possible deliver a first class service to the children and young people of Plymouth and at the same time support the local economy.

Read our Plymouth achieves first GOLD of 2012 news story for more details.

All of our suppliers are based either in Plymouth or the immediate south-west and this has significantly reduced our carbon foot-print for deliveries and potentially increases the spend directly into the city by up to £1.6m over the contract period:

• All of our meat is now locally sourced from within the south west, turkey on our menu is freedom food accredited and our butcher is based in Helston, Cornwall
• Our seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables are supplied from Saltash, Cornwall
• Our fish fillets are pollock, locally caught at Plymouth or Newlyn
• We use Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) salmon
• We use organic herbs
• We serve organic yoghurt
• We use wholemeal organic flour
• We use Fairtrade apple juice
• Menus are seasonal and in excess of 80 per cent of the menu is freshly prepared by our catering staff each day
• No food or products used in our recipes contain undesirable food additives or hydrogenated fats
• We use organic milk for pupil drinks (EU subsidised)
• We use only free-range eggs (including in our mayonnaise)

As a result of our commitment to use only free-range eggs in all of our recipes and across the menu, we are very proud to hold the Good Egg Award from Compassion in World Farming for our promotion of animal welfare.

Good Egg Award 2011 [61KB]

We are committed to the health and well-being of children and young people in the city and to the provision of high quality school meals, freshly prepared and cooked on a daily basis by well-trained and dedicated caterers.

We have continued efforts to improve and increase the range and choice of home-cooked vegetarian meals but would also welcome comments and suggestions/recipes from parents/carers about how we can further develop this area.

We welcome comments about the menu and range of meals available. Please email us at catering@plymouth.gov.uk with your comments and suggestions for menu and recipe ideas.

The school menus have been provided for each school to place on their school websites and can be found on the menu and meal prices page.

We are proud to say that all of our infant, junior and primary schools now have full production kitchens producing tasty, nutritious hot meals each and every day of the school year for the children and young people of Plymouth.

For secondary school and academy menus, please contact the school or kitchen manager direct.

We are also able to cater for special diets including celiac, dairy free, nut allergy, but should your child have specific needs please contact us and we will be pleased to discuss your requirements and identify ways that we may be able to help.

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