In Nottinghamshire we are actively trying to reduce our carbon footprint and are proud to be going local with our school dinners, to cut down on our food miles. Our school dinners are packed with fresh and tasty ingredients which meet many strictly regulated food assurance schemes.

For every new menu we always search high and low across our region for the very best quality products to make exciting meals. We have introduced even more organic items to our meals, including potatoes, pasta and milk ensuring your child gets all the goodness and taste from their food.

Good eating habits can last a lifetime and Food for Life is a great opportunity to help understand where our food comes from and the importance of it on our health.

School dinners cost £3.00 per day (£15.00 per week).

Lunchtimes at St Edmund's

Children can choose whether to have a hot school dinner or bring a packed lunch. This choice can be made on a daily basis depending on what is on the menu. You just need to make sure your child knows what they are doing!

Paying for school meals is quite straightforward: you can pay online using your child’s Squid account or you can send cash into the school office. If your child is in Foundation , Year 1 or Year 2 they are entitled to Universal Free Meals.  Please see the school office for more information.

Lunches are organised in ‘sittings’ whereby those children having a hot meal tend to eat first whilst others have a playtime, then, as they finish the packed lunch children come in to have their meals.

We operate a ‘family service’ system which promotes responsibility amongst our oldest children and encourages conversation around the table. Midday staff circulate to ensure children act responsibly towards each other, that they have a good, standard sized portion of food and that table manners are at their best.

Once outside children are given a wide range of activities to choose from: play football, bats and balls, skipping ropes, hoola hoops, massive connect four.

As well as the four midday supervisor staff, we have three members of the teaching team available daily to support lunchtimes.   

We love our lunchtimes at St Edmund's; there’s loads to do and they’re great fun.

Common questions

This page provides more information on the following:

• school milk
• vegetarian options
• special diets and allergies
• portions and 'seconds'
• bread
• our ingredients.

School milk

Milk is an important part of a child's diet. It is one of the few drinks allowed in school under the latest government's food-based and nutrient-based standards and provides a number of health benefits and social opportunities to ensure children get the most out of the school day.

The price of milk at primary schools across Nottinghamshire is currently 18p per day.

We are one of only a handful of local councils across the country that still supply free milk for five to seven-year-olds receiving free school meals - a position that we wish to maintain.

The price parents pay for school milk under the new arrangements includes a minimum 3p subsidy per carton from the Rural Payments Agency.

We provide semi-skimmed milk in line with guidance issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the School Food Trust. The FSA says that children should switch from whole to semi-skimmed milk at the age of two, and the School Food Trust also recommends that primary school children should receive semi-skimmed rather than whole milk.

Vegetarian options

We cater for vegetarians in every school.

In schools where there is a choice menu, there is a daily choice of a meat dish or a vegetarian dish. These options can be seen on our menu leaflets that your child will have brought home. If you have not seen a copy of the menu, they can be viewed and downloaded from the current menu section of this site.

If your child's school operates on a traditional single choice menu or family service, you will need to contact the school administration or Head Teacher. Once they have your child’s name and let the kitchen know, a daily vegetarian meal can be prepared.

Special diets and allergies

We aim to ensure all pupils have access to healthy school dinners regardless of any special requirements.

If your child’s diet does not suit our menus due to any food allergies or intolerances, religious or ethical beliefs please let us know so we can make alternative arrangements.

Please complete an EC46 pupil dietary/food allergy request form and return to the school office.

Any allergies and intolerances must be accompanied and supported by medical documentation from the child’s GP or other medical professional.

Portions and 'seconds'

Some children may want bigger portions or 'seconds'. While we are delighted that they have a healthy appetite, the portions served in our schools are measured to ensure that they are equal and that they meet the recommended daily allowances.

Our menus fully comply with food standards on nutrition and portion size. They contain at least two portions of fruit and vegetables per meal and every meal is served with vegetables and/or salad as standard.

Bread

Part of the new food standards state that free bread should be made available at lunchtime to ensure children are not left hungry after their dinner. We fully comply with these regulations by making sure a basket of bread is available for children to help themselves from at dinner time. You can visit the School Food Trust website which outlines these standards.

Our ingredients

In Nottinghamshire we are actively trying to reduce our carbon footprint and are proud to be using local and sustainable produce.

• venison - from Thoresby Park, Sherwood Forest
• beef - grazed on the banks of the River Trent by Holme Farm in Rampton
• lamb - from the Peak District
• turkey - farm assured, cage free from Lincs Turkey Ltd in Grainthorpe, Louth
• pork - local and rare breed from Hockerwood Farm in Upton
• eggs - free range from Fieldson Farm Eggs in Lincolnshire
• milk - fresh and local from Newfield Dairy in Hockerton
• vegetables - fresh and seasonal, grown locally where possible, from Country Fresh Foods in Sheffield
• fish - sourced from sustainable stocks and carries the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) accreditation
• organic bouillon - sourced from Major International is used in all our pasta, pie and casserole dishes
• organic soya milk - to cater for medical or dietary requirements.