LACA logo

News

National School Meals Week to return with ‘School Tucker Trial’

02 Nov 2021
LACA, the school food people, has announced that National School Meals Week (NSMW) will be ‘back with a bang’ from 8-12 November 2021 with exciting events and initiatives planned.

The ‘School Tucker Trial’ aims to get as many children as possible back to having school meals together. With the event coinciding with the start of the new series of the popular TV programme ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here’, the campaign tries to make school meals fun, relevant and enjoyable to all students.

Schoolchildren will have the opportunity to discover new flavours with some caterers planning to trial new menus and others planning to introduce new concepts. Students will be able to collect stars as they stay for meals throughout the week.

NSMW has now been running for 30 years and is a flagship promotion organised by LACA. A key objective is to promote the importance and benefits of choosing a hot and nutritious school lunch at mealtime.

The campaign will not only encourage children back into the dining room, but also teach them about the importance of eating locally produced, fresh food that provides better nutrition and is more environmentally sustainable.

A virtual tour will take place to inspire all those involved with producing healthy and sustainable school meals, with NSMW hitting the road again to showcase the best of school catering during the week.

Commenting on NSMW 2021 chair of LACA, Jacquie Blake said: “National School Meals Week celebrates the best of school meals and school caterers. I encourage everyone to get involved with the ‘The School Tucker Trial’, this is a great initiative that will help get as many children back into the dining room so that they can enjoy their hot, healthy and nutritious meal.”

There are five theme days for school caterers to adapt and run:

Mix It Up Monday: We are asking schools to create a fun day with a menu packed with fruit and vegetables. It is a great opportunity to demonstrate that vegetarian dishes are exciting and tasty. You can mix up the menu with plant-based alternatives to children’s favourite products and dishes.

Food = Fuel (for learning, work and play): Following the disruption to education over the past 18 months, the importance of nutrition and education can never be underestimated. We are asking school caterers to create a menu to showcase all the important food groups.

Ahhh The Great British Roast Dinner: This day highlights local produce and farm-assured meats, plus we look to showcase a vegetarian alternative to keep the day inclusive for all children.

Plant Based Power Lunch: Choosing plant-based days on a school menu can have a huge impact on the environment and the wellbeing of children. This year we want to promote all the benefits to children and school caterers.

School Food Challenge: The last day of the week is a fun day to educate children about where their food comes from and how it is grown. It is a great opportunity for school caterers to create dishes with hidden fruits and vegetables to help children achieve their five-a-day. This event will also teach children about farming.

To find out more about the event and to download resources, visit here.

To see what schools across the country are doing to celebrate NSMW, and to share your own examples, please use the following hashtags: #NSMW2021 #LACA_UK #tasteforyourself #schooltuckertrial and follow LACA on social media: