The catering service is leading the way as one of two councils in the region to win an award as part of the ProVeg non-profit organisation’s School Plates Awards, which recognise healthy and climate-friendly school menus across the UK.
Blackpool is one of only nine councils nationally to win this award.
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 be tasty, encouraging children to try and opt for more sustainable choices at lunchtime.
Schools in Blackpool are serving a range of plant-based dishes, including: Sweet potato and chickpea curry with wholegrain rice and naan bread, sweet and sour vegetable noodles with wholemeal bread, plant power fajita wrap with savoury vegetable rice and a diddy plant meatball sub roll with baked jacket potato wedges.
This award recognises one of the many areas that Blackpool Council’s catering team, alongside the council’s climate team is working hard in to achieve net zero carbon emissions and a healthier place to live following the council’s climate emergency declaration in 2019.
Cllr Jane Hugo, Blackpool Council Cabinet member for Climate Change said:
Cllr Jo Farrell, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Levelling Up - People with responsibilities for catering services said:
Jimmy Pierson, Director of ProVeg UK, the non-profit organisation behind the awards was full of praise for the council’s menus. He commented: