It's Harrison again for Wandsworth Schools

Monday 17 September 2007

Healthy school dinners were given a big thumbs up this week, when Wandsworth Borough Council extended the schools meals contract for Harrison Catering Services Ltd.

Initially, awarded 3 years ago, Harrison replaced the unhealthy convenience meals served by the previous caterer and is now serving more children than ever, with over 240,000 healthy meals served every month.

Debbie Glover, who manages the contract on behalf of Harrison says "We’ve been successfully introducing healthier meals to the 65 Wandsworth schools since long before the Jamie Oliver effect. The result has been a rise in meal uptake by 11% within the first term alone, with overall participation rates up significantly since 2004 - the key to this is common sense: we don’t serve boiled fish with parsley sauce because the children wouldn’t eat it, but the Salmon Kedgeree is a winner” she says.

Special themed days and individual taster pots introduce children to new tastes and flavours, and menus are developed by listening carefully to school councils as well as gathering as much feedback as possible from staff and pupils. Cooks and kitchen staff are also invited to send in recipes, and a cook’s forum takes place once a term to get feedback and to bounce recipe ideas around with staff. Pupils, staff and cooks participate in tasting sessions which enable the menu development to move on with current trends and local tastes. Debbie adds "We are really happy to be given the chance to carry on the Wandsworth school meals contract and look forward to serving even more children than ever before".

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