Latest News

Cook for the Queen finalists are announced

16 May 2012

As Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall’s competition inviting schools to create a special menu for The Queen approaches its grand finale at Buckingham Palace in June, the first round of judging has taken place.

Sixteen schools have been selected from over 200 entries to go through to the next round where their menus will be judged by Mark Flanagan, royal chef at Buckingham Palace.

Primary school pupils get a slice of the action

16 May 2012

Budding young chefs from Christleton Primary School and Waverton Community Primary School competed in a pizza cook-off recently with the chance of having their recipe put on the menu at the Ring O'Bells in Christleton.

Three children from each school were shortlisted out of over 100 entrants to go to the award-winning Ring O'Bells and make their pizzas with the help of the restaurant's pizza chef Andy Posniak.

Academy food standards: LACA responds to SFT survey findings

15 May 2012

The School Food Trust (SFT) has today published the results of a survey conducted among a sample of 100 academies into their attitudes towards following the nutritional standards for school food.

Currently academies and free schools are exempt from the nutritional standards legislation that applies to all other maintained schools in England.

The SFT wrote a letter in January to the heads of more than 1,500 academies asking them to indicate their commitment to following the legislation and applying the standards across all food provision.

Leeds schoolchildren invited to vote for favourite dinner lady

14 May 2012 | Yorkshire and Humberside region

Primary school children from across the city are being asked to vote for the Leeds school ‘Dinner Lady of the Year 2012’ in a competition organised by Real Radio and the Yorkshire Evening Post.

It is part of the ‘Leeds Loves Food’ festival, which takes places throughout the city from May 25-27.

Organisers say they are looking to find the school catering assistant who provides healthy but tasty meals that children look forward to.

LACA reacts to schoolgirl’s online school meal criticisms

11 May 2012

LACA (Local Authority Caterers’ Association) was dismayed to see the story covered by the Mail Online yesterday (Thursday, May 10th) of Scottish schoolgirl, Martha Payne who has reported her dissatisfaction with her school meals on her own website.

Photographs she took herself of her own meal choices, which did not appear compliant with the requirements of Nutritional Standards legislation for school food, were also shown on her site and in the Mail Online coverage.

School caterer Aspens Services hosts healthy eating roadshow for Runcorn students

10 May 2012 | North West Region

School caterer Aspens Services recently hosted a healthy eating interactive roadshow for students at St Chad’s Catholic and Church of England High School in Runcorn.

More than 200 year eight students, aged 12 and 13, took part in the event which included the chance to taste fruits including dragon fruit, pomegranates, durian and star fruit and try lemonade made using fresh lemons (and compare it with a shop-bought version).

LACA backs Jamie call for school cookery lessons

8 May 2012

LACA (Local Authority Caterers Association) has issued a statement sharing the concerns raised by Jamie Oliver and England footballer, Steven Gerrard, who have called on the Government to fight obesity by putting cookery teaching in schools back on the national curriculum.

The pair joined forces with other figures in health and education to send a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron suggesting changes should be made to the national curriculum to allow children and young people to be taught how to prepare nutritious meals for themselves and their families.

Leicestershire pupils take part in planning new primary school menu

2 May 2012 | East Midlands Region

Pupils from Broom Leys School recently played a major part in planning Leicestershire County Council's new primary school menu, which launched across the county earlier this week (Monday 30th April).

Typical dishes include chicken risotto, quorn dippers, salmon and broccoli tagliatelle and seasonal fresh fruit pancakes.

Youngsters from Thringstone Primary School and Warren Hills Community Primary School in Coalville also helped to plan the food.

LACA responds to SFT study into meal standards

30 April 2012

LACA (Local Authority Caterers Association) has offered its reaction to the findings of a new study by the School Food Trust (SFT) into the effect of compulsory nutritional standards for school food provision in secondary schools.

The study, which was published on Saturday, April 28th, looks at how the introduction of the nutritional standards had impacted on food preparation, uptake of healthier options and attitudes and eating habits of teenagers in 2011, compared to 2004.

The study found a number of positive improvements since 2004, among them were:

Finishing Touches for LACA and the Craft Guild of Chefs

30 April 2012

The Craft Guild of Chefs is once again working in association with LACA (Local Authority Caterers Association) on Finishing Touches, LACA’s annual static culinary display salon competition that will take place at its conference at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole from July 11-12.