Sodexo wins national award for serving climate-friendly school dinners
Sodexo caters for over 500 schools across England, Scotland and Wales. It is the latest major caterer to receive an award for its outstanding menus. Examples of Sodexo’s plant-based dishes include Carnitas Rancheros, Rustic Farmhouse Potato Hash, Sweet Potato Vada Pav and Butterbean & Meatball Pasta.
To be eligible for an award, caterers must take various steps to promote plant-based school meals, which produce significantly less carbon than meat-based dishes. The dishes must also be nutritionally-balanced and tasty, while also encouraging children to choose more sustainable choices at lunchtime.
Steve Hawkins, managing director of state schools at Sodexo, said: “We are committed to providing quality meals whilst reducing carbon emissions and food waste across our entire schools portfolio.
“It is imperative that children across the country can access tasty, healthy and nutritious food whilst also understanding its impact on the climate, so they are empowered to make informed decisions about what they eat. I am proud of our teams for their hard work and I am delighted that their efforts have been recognised with this fantastic award.”
ProVeg UK has helped thousands of schools to create healthier and more sustainable menus by turning millions of school dinners meat-free or plant-based. The non-profit organisation offers free menu consultancy, training, and recipe development services, and their awards scheme is open to all UK school caterers.
Jimmy Pierson, director of ProVeg UK, added: “To be giving an award to Sodexo, one of the country’s biggest contract caterers, sends a strong message that this is the direction public sector food is heading - and we’re seeing it accelerate fast in schools.
“Caterers are understanding that plant-based food fosters healthier habits in children and plays a pivotal role in safeguarding their future. We are delighted to see such a major caterer committing to promoting healthier and more climate-friendly food in schools, and look forward to working with more contract caterers as they follow suit.”