Preston Primary School Eaglescliffe

Kitchens

Our kitchen and dining hall has provided Sandra and her kitchen staff the opportunity to introduce a new system of school meals, which is known as 'family' service.

The children sit at round tables of eight with their friends from other classes, an adult and a Year 6 monitor, who serves the meal to the younger children on their table. Plates and bowls have replaced the old plastic trays.

The children have a daily choice of a hot meal or salad bar meal, followed by a pudding or fresh fruit option. The food is always cooked from fresh on site, even the bread is baked in the new state of the art kitchen.

The children are encouraged to try everything including all the vegetables. No baked beans, spaghetti hoops or other products high in salt and sugar are served. The cooking is salt free and there are no salt cellars on the tables.

Sandra is also planning to have taster sessions with the children to give them the opportunity to try foods and dishes with which they are less familiar, and the results will be used when planning the next menus.

The aim is to provide the children with a good quality well balanced meal, and provide at least three of the five portions of fruit and vegetables required daily. A further portion of fruit is served in each classroom. So the children only require one more portion of fruit or vegetables per day from their meals at home.

The family service system also applies to those children preferring to bring in packed lunches, they too sit with children from other classes supported by a Year 6 monitor.

The kitchen also provides the same meal daily to the children who attend Preston Children's Centre Lunch Club.