FLAVOURS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON SCHOOL MENU

Carmarthenshire primary school children are tucking in to a variety of meals from around the world as part of the new summer school meals menu.

Serving up 19,000 hot meals every day, Carmarthenshire County Council’s catering team have revamped the menu with a mix of traditional favourites and modern dishes to tempt the taste buds.

Dishes range from chicken korma and chicken tikka paninis giving children a taste of Asian cuisine; spaghetti bolognese, pizza and pasta bake offering a taste of Italian fare, and barbecue chicken wrap with mixed rice and coleslaw providing a more Stateside and Caribbean flavour.

Traditional British meals also feature, with roast dinners every Wednesday and ‘chip shop fish’ amongst the highlights on the menu.

For the first time, the menu has been laid out for parents to see the balance of each meal – the main, the veg, the carb, and the dessert.

Vegetables include mixed salad and coleslaw, baked beans or peas, or carrot and cucumber battons.

Carbohydrates include jacket wedges, herby potatoes, or garlic bread, and an occasional Friday treat of chips.

Desserts include chocolate brownies, apple muffins and lemon drizzle cake, although children can instead opt for their pick of fruit.

Each meal is served with a drink of water, milk or aqua juice.

Catering services manager Sandra Weigel said: “We have kept some traditional summer dishes on the menu, along with new main meals and desserts that we hope children will enjoy.

“We were pleased to design this menu based on feedback from children and parents during a consultation in winter last year. They suggested we improve the layout of the menu to illustrate how meals are nutritionally balanced and have the correct balance of protein, carbs, fresh fruit and veg.”

She added: “School meals are a great way to ensure children have a well balanced diet and the energy and concentration they need to do their best in their classrooms. They are also convenient for parents, who do not need to worry about creating a well-balanced packed lunch that will remain fresh until lunchtime.”

• The cost of school meals is £2.30 a day, but your children may be eligible for free meals if you are in receipt of certain benefits. You can apply online 24/7 on the council’s website, visit: http://ilocal.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/apply-request/