School meals in 57 Tower Hamlets primary and nursery schools have achieved a silver award for being healthy and sustainable.
The council’s school meals provider, Contract Catering Services has achieved a Silver Food for Life Served Here award from the Soil Association for the third year in a row.
The Silver award recognises that at least 5% of ingredients are organic and are sourced sustainably, ethically, and locally from reputable suppliers. The award acknowledges caterers that go beyond meeting the School Food Standards to ensure that children are served meals that are not only delicious, but are also good for health, nature and the climate.
Studies show that almost four million children are too poor to have a healthy diet, so it is increasingly vital that children are eating healthy meals at school. Contract Catering Services provides approximately 16,500 meals a day, and the nutritious menus meet the needs of the borough’s diverse community.
Over 87% of meals are freshly prepared, with popular homemade dishes including vegetable moussaka, chicken pie, and cauliflower, spinach and chickpea curry.
Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets Council, said, “Providing our children with the best start in life is our priority. Nutritious meals are essential for the fuel children need to learn and develop and that includes using quality ingredients as well as providing tasty recipes and healthy choices.
'Congratulations to our school meals provider Contract Catering Services for achieving a Silver award from the Soil Association.”
Ruth Galpine, Associate Director, Healthy & Sustainable Diets at the Soil Association, added, “We are delighted to have been able to renew the Food for Life Served Here Silver award for Contract Catering Services in Tower Hamlets.
'This is a testament to the hardworking team going the extra mile to ensure they are keeping up their high standards in providing meals that are cooked from scratch using high quality ingredients.
'In the current economic and social climate it is even more important to ensure children are fed well in school and Contract Services are demonstrating their commitment to keeping standards high.”