School meals in St Helens Borough retain Food For Life certification

Article date: 25 February 2025

The service has retained the bronze award, which verifies the quality of food on children's plates and demonstrates a commitment to providing freshly prepared healthy meals, sustainably sourced ingredients, all free from additives, artificial trans fats and GM ingredients, while supporting local producers.

School meals in St Helens Borough offer a daily selection of main meals and desserts across a three-week rolling menu. Up to four child-friendly and nutritious menu choices are available daily, to ensure there is something delicious for everyone to enjoy.

The service also offers salad stations everyday with yoghurts and breads, plus items such as pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables across each week, to ensure mealtimes are always exciting.

And moving with the times, the Catering Service is making use of the latest technology, currently rolling out SchoolGrid to local primary schools - a digital kitchen management system, that gives parents quick and easy ways of placing their child's school meal pre-orders anywhere, as well as giving them the ability to see nutritional information at their fingertips.

It also gives an extra layer of protection for children with food allergies as they can only order food suitable for them.

Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, said: "We are incredibly proud to have again achieved the Food for Life Served Here certification, which reflects our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, nutritious meals for children across the borough.

"Our Catering Service works hard to ensure that every meal - more than 7,000 of them across local schools every day - is freshly prepared using sustainable, locally sourced ingredients, giving children the healthy and balanced food they deserve. This certification is a testament to our dedication to supporting both the wellbeing of our young people and the environment."

Caron Longden, Head of Business Development at Food for Life added: "Food for Life Served Here caterers are leading the way in demonstrating how they are improving the food they serve. Making good food the norm is key to tackling the interrelated crises of climate, nature and health. Achieving Food for Life Served Here certification is a fantastic accomplishment by St Helens Borough Council's Catering Service and a true reflection of their commitment to serving healthy and sustainable meals."