SCHOOL DINNERS

Our delicious school dinners are prepared onsite by staff employed by Dolce.

Dolce are a national catering company, whose menus are developed by a team of chefs and offer daily selections that allow children to create their own bespoke lunch menu that can reflect the food standards fully.

Every day, children can choose from a main or vegetarian cooked meal, a jacket potato with a selection of toppings or a sandwich option. All meals include the necessary daily portions of starchy foods, vegetables and protein. Dairy and fruit are found in the dessert choices.

Fish is on the menu every Friday, and salmon or other oily fish is available every three weeks.

All main courses are complemented by a salad trolley and bread which is available regardless of the plated option . This can lead to some combinations that most adults may never contemplate - curry with beetroot and coleslaw, anyone?

In addition they can select from at least two desserts, and a fruit trolley.

Fresh water is available on every table (see drinks and snacks)

3-Week Menu Rotations

The menus change termly and are based on a  3-week rotation - so each dish is typically served four times each term.

All menus (and the recipes) can be found in the SchoolGrid app.

Dolce frequently run themed meal days (e.g World Cup Wednesday, Wimbledon Day) with special one-off menus. 

We're all waiting for Halloween Toffee Apple Crumble to make its return... 

This term's menu can be found below.

Ordering Meals

Parents order and pay for meals in the SchoolGrid app - an account will be created by the school office using your recorded email address, and the system is operated by Dolce.

Meals can be ordered for a day, week or even the whole term.

Credit is added online. 

Note: Where a meal is taken without sufficient credit being available, the school will be billed directly for the meal taken. This will then have to be debited to your school Parentpay account and an administrative charge of £3 in addition to the meal cost will be applied. To avoid this, you will be asked to add SchoolGrid credit before lunch service begins. 

Parents eat free days....

Periodically, during 2023-24, parents from different classes will be offered an opportunity to share a meal with their child(ren) as part of a buy-one-get-one free deal.

Watch out for your invitation!

AUTUMN 2023 MENU - September to December.

Note: This is the national menu - adjustments will be made for our pupils to include sandwich/jacket daily. Double pizza in week 3 also to be changed :-)

Dolce - Allergies and medical Dietary needs policy

PACKED LUNCHES

Whilst we would prefer all pupils to take a school meal and benefit from the broad selection on offer, occasionally, pupils might not be keen on any of the four options available and prefer a packed lunch. 

These should also reflect the School Food Standards (2015) and our School Food and Packed Lunch policies (2023). 

To ensure this is the case, parents are asked to use the following guide, a laminated copy of which will be added to lunchboxes at the start of each term to remind parents of the expectations for packed lunches. 

Packed lunch boxes are stored at room temperature, so parents must include an ice pack to keep them appropriately chilled until lunchtime. 

Foods provided in packed lunches are categorised as:

• Green: good for daily consumption
• Amber: high fat content – occasional consumption 
• Red: high sugar – never allowed

GREEN ITEMS: Packed lunches should aim to include daily as a minimum:

• Some starchy foods such as bread (sliced bread, pitta bread, wraps, bagels), pasta, potatoes, couscous; choose wholegrain varieties where possible These foods provide carbohydrate to give your child energy for the afternoon.
• 1 portion of vegetables or salad AND 1 portion of fruit. These foods provide vitamins and minerals to help protect against illness.
• A portion of dairy food such as cheese or yoghurt. These foods are a good source of calcium for strong bones and teeth.
• Meat, fish, or another source of protein such as eggs, beans and pulses, hummus or falafel. These foods provide protein, iron and zinc for growth.
• Fish at least once a week, and oily fish should be included once every 3 weeks e.g. sardines, mackerel or salmon

AMBER ITEMS: Packed lunches should not regularly (i.e more than twice a week) include items that are high in fat:

• Crisps or crisp type snacks which are high in fat or have added salt e.g. flavoured rice cakes or cheddars
• Pastry items (e.g sausage rolls, pies)
• Other high fat/processed foods (check the label - more than 17.5% fat is 'too much', salt content should be negligible)

RED ITEMS: Packed lunches should never include*

• Sweets (confectionery)
• Any items containing chocolate or chocolate-coatings including bars, biscuits, cakes or yoghurts/desserts with these ingredients
• Other coated biscuits (e.g gold bars)
• Nuts or nut-based products
• Any other items that contain high (>20%) amounts of processed sugars

DRINKS with packed lunches are not required as fresh drinking water is available on every table. 

Parents may, however, include a milk or yoghurt drink in packed lunches - or a carton of fresh fruit or vegetable juice to mix with water these should reflect the School Food Standards for drinks

You can download documents relating to packed lunches below:

1. Packed lunch policy
2. Guidance on healthier packed lunches

Visit https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes/ for recipes and ideas to vary packed lunch contents within the broader school food standards.

 * pupils who bring red items to school as snacks/packed lunch items will be asked to leave them in their bag/lunchbox and consume them at home.