Argyll and Bute Council is committed to providing healthy, nutritious, good value meal options to pupils in our primary and secondary schools and a school meal is available in almost all of our schools, with the exception of Iona and Ulva primaries. We encourage healthy eating and school lunches are planned so that children can choose a well-balanced meal and a good selection of vegetables, salad, fresh fruit, and milk are available daily. All of our menus comply with the Scottish Government’s Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations 2020
and the The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020.
As part of Scottish Government legislation, from January 2022 all pupils in P1-P5 became entitled to a free school meal. Parents do not have to register for this; all pupils will receive this meal automatically. Please see the section on free school meals for information for pupils from P6 and beyond.
Allergy information for our school menus is available online and in each school kitchen. Information on school meals are available via https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/primary-school-meals-menu. If your child has a food allergy, please contact the school office in the first instance so that any necessary arrangements can be put in place.
A vegetarian meal option is available every day, and many dishes can be altered to accommodate other special diets where this is required. Where possible, other non-medical special diets may be accommodated; please contact the Catering service for more information.
Primary Schools
Our primary school lunch offer is a two course menu with a choice of main meal, and will be either a starter and a main course, or a main course and a dessert. The menu runs on a three week cycle so that there is plenty of choice for pupils. The cost for a primary school meal is £2.30. Salad selections, vegetables and fruit are available every day. Water or milk is available as a drink.
You can view our current primary school lunch menu at https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/primary-school-meals-menu.
An online income management and online payment solution has been introduced to assist parents to pay for all school purchases, including school meals. Parents can pre-order childrens’ meals online and in advance. For further information and to register please visit https://www.ipayimpact.co.uk
Packed Lunches
Some pupils prefer a packed lunch and it is the Authority’s policy to provide facilities for the consumption of packed lunches in all schools where these are required.
We believe a well-balanced packed lunch with a tasty alternative to chocolate biscuits and sweets is very important, although one small treat per day does no harm! Dates, raisins, sultanas, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and seasonal fruit could provide healthy alternatives. Unflavoured milk and water are the ideal drinks for teeth and a pure fruit drink or mineral water is better than drinks with high sugar content.
Sandwiches often form a major part of a packed lunch. Fillings for sandwiches should be chosen with care because the packed lunch will be stored in a warm classroom for a number of hours. It is therefore advisable to use a cool bag and ice pack and choose fillings that are less likely to be affected, e.g. cheese and tomato, salad, egg and tomato. An alternative to sandwiches could be cooked pasta with a variety of fruit or vegetables and a suitable dressing. Occasionally a piece of quiche or pizza could be included.
The school aims to encourage children to enjoy food which is both attractive to them and nutritionally sound, whether this is a school meal, a packed lunch or a snack. We would appreciate your support in achieving this aim.
Free School Meals
From January 2022, all pupils in P1-P5 became entitled to a free school meal, which they receive automatically. Whilst P1-P5 parents do not need to register because of the universal entitlement, it can be beneficial to register if you meet the eligibility criteria as you could be entitled to additional benefits.
For information about Free School Meals, including the eligibility criteria, and to complete an online application form please visit Free School Meals and Clothing Grant | Argyll and Bute Council (argyll-bute.gov.uk). Alternatively, please contact Customer Services: Education on 01369 708548 or your local benefit enquiry office.
When ordering school meals staff are aware of the need to ensure anonymity for pupils receiving free school meals. All children order their meal and are provided with a coloured band relevant to their choice. This system exists for all pupils.
