South West Regional Group

Powys Catering sources biodegradable disposable products in an effort to link healthy eating and sustainability

Builth Wells High School was awarded Level 2 Healthy Schools in July and is also an ECO School so was very keen to source and utilise biodegradable products where possible. As a result Ripple Cups were sourced which are able to supply food packaging items manufactured from naturally produced materials. More High Schools and County Buildings in Powys have now taken these products on board in an effort to reduce the non biodegradable waste generated as an Authority.

Salad bowls made from plants rich in starch, and jacket potato boxes that use material from sustainable and renewable sources are being trialed. Both products are bio-degradable and compostable. They are safe to use and in the correct conditions can decompose by as much as 90% in just over 6 weeks using industrial composting methods.

For more information please contact Deana Miles, Area Catering Manager on 01597 827166 or email [email protected].

• only uses approved suppliers and manufacturers 
• buys food locally wherever possible 
• works to ensure emerging trends can be catered for, e.g. currently looking at organic, local and fair trade products 
• does not use additives which are of most concern to children’s behaviour 
• does not knowingly use food containing genetically modified ingredients 
• takes care to limit the amount of salt used in cooking and bought-in foods and we have removed salt cellars from all canteen tables 
• wherever possible oven cooks food to reduce the fat content in dishes 
• modifies our recipes to reduce sugar and fat and increase fibre 
• encourages eating 5 fruit and vegetables per day. The school meal can provide two of these essential healthy foods every school day 
• complies with the national nutritional standards for school lunches
• promotes and encourages healthy eating and makes meals an enjoyable and valuable experience.

• School Meals Nutrition Strategy  
• Local Sustainable Food Strategy

Carmarthenshire Healthy School Meals Mascot is Dylan Dragon

Dylan visits primary schools and joins them at lunchtime. He helps to make every child feel welcome and cared for throughout the school day.

My School Lunch Website

My School Lunch  aims to provide information on school meals and informs parents, pupils and teachers of the importance of healthy eating.  The most popular area of the website is the games in the ‘Fun Fair’ section - there are nine fun interactive games that are designed to educate pupils on healthy eating.
Current menus can be downloaded from the My School Lunch website.

Themed days

Fruity Friday - Primary school children from across the county took part in a range of ‘fruity’ events in the week running up to Fruity Friday May 16 2008. 

Wimbledon - Wimbledon favourites of strawberries and ice-cream were served to thousands of the county’s youngsters.  Catering chiefs designed the themed menu, which will also included Henman's healthy ham or cheese salad baguette served with Wimbledon wedges and homemade coleslaw.

St Davids Day - Traditional Welsh fare was dished up including home-made cawl and vegetarian cawl, with bread rolls and cheese.  The main course was followed by Welsh cakes, home made apple tart and custard and a glass of milk. 

Christmas - a traditional roast turkey with trimmings and seasonal vegetables, or vegetarian roast was served followed by homemade Christmas pudding or ice cream log.

Organic - Organic menus have been piloted in Carmarthenshire primary schools in December 2007.  With funding from Organic Centre Wales, under its Rafael scheme pupils were treated to home-made Organic shepherd’s pie with Organic carrots, fresh cabbage, potatoes and gravy.  

Carmarthenshire County Council healthy school meal provision has been recognised as good practice by Excellence Wales through being chosen as a Case Study.

On the Road with Dylan and Eco Eli

Carmarthen Catering Service has arranged a road show to promote healthy eating and school meals throughout the county.

Funded by a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government under their Appetite for Life initiative, the catering team worked in partnership with ‘Street scene’ the recycling department to create this innovate road show. The show, called ‘On the Road with Dylan and Eco Eli’ aimed at raising awareness of healthy living and the environment. Dylan the Dragon Carmarthenshire’s healthy school meals mascot and Eco Eli the eco-friendly elephant are helped to spread the word on the importance of healthy eating and exercise and raising awareness of environmental issues such as recycling, saving energy and litter.

The show included children’s’ entertainers Paul and Adrian Gregory it was full of fun and games, as well as singing and dancing and was performed to hundreds of pupils in the county. A free CD featuring all the songs from the road show will be given to the schools so they can use it as an additional educational resource.

Further plans are being made to carry out a second series of road shows during early 2010. 

For more information please contact Elin Cullen, Head of Resources Management at [email protected] or phone 01267 224552.