The Barking and Dagenham catering service BD Together is representing London this week, as the LACA (The School Food People) tour the country to mark National School Meals Week 2021.

The LACA represents 3,300 organisations and individuals providing millions of lunches in 22,000 schools every day. The organisation’s annual initiative, National School Meals Week, has been running for 30 years to promote the benefits of children eating a healthy school lunch. 

As the LACA’s London representative, BD Together is running special menus and promoting its ‘Eat and Learn’ initiative to help educate children on the importance of healthy eating. It’s also raising awareness of Free School Meals. 

"It's so important for children to have nutritious, tasty school meals to help them be healthy, active and successful.”

The East London catering service caters for 38 schools in Barking and Dagenham and offers cooking classes and healthy eating workshops to the local community. 

Darren Tranter, Managing Director of BD Together, commented: “National School Meals Week is a fantastic way to celebrate school lunches and encourage children to have delicious hot lunches.

“We want every pupil to have the opportunity to have a healthy two-course hot lunch; it may be the only hot meal some children have all day.

“We were thrilled when LACA asked us to be their London representative in their virtual tour of the country, and we’re delighted to be celebrating healthy school lunches and showcasing the work of our catering teams throughout the week.”

Eating a healthy meal is known to improve behaviour and concentration and has been linked to higher attainment. BD Together’s award-winning team of menu development experts work with schools, pupils and parents to create appetising, healthy dishes that appeal to young tastes.

The catering service tests and nutritionally analyses meals to ensure they fully comply with legal requirements and good food guidelines before adding them to school menus. 

Councillor Evelyn Carpenter, Barking and Dagenham's Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, said: "It's so important for children to have nutritious, tasty school meals to help them be healthy, active and successful.”