A global survey by campaign group Avaaz and the University of Bath found 59% of children and young people are very or extremely worried about climate change. In the UK, 80% agreed that people have failed to care for the planet.
It’s clear we need to help children and young people bring about change, starting with sustainable eating in school. As a major provider of school meal services to over 500 schools in the UK, we are in a strong position to influence knowledge, awareness and choices from a young age.
We play an active role in empowering young people to choose more planet friendly dishes and sometimes all it takes is to encourage children to try alternatives.
As an organisation we are committed to serving sustainable food choices with at least a third of menus plant-based to ensure there is a balance of both sustainability and choice.
Our menus have been carefully curated by skilled chefs and nutritionists to appeal to schoolchildren whilst including all the necessary nutrients required and using ingredients which have a lower impact on the environment.
We have reduced the focus on meat and fish and are gradually exposing pupils to plant-based and protein-rich ingredients.
Menus feature clear labelling to help students make informed choices and include a diverse selection of plant-based dishes, such as Dhansak Curry with Brown Rice, Quorn Loaded Punjabi Masala with Rice, Rustic Farmhouse Hash, Loaded Five Bean Chilli with Roast Potatoes, and Smoky Broccoli Soft Tacos with Rice.
Vegetarian and vegan dishes take centre stage and are placed at the top of our daily menus with clear labels identifying them as planet friendly. We highlight the climate and health benefits of plant-based food to help pupils and staff understand the impact of their food choices.
Earlier this year our work in providing healthy, sustainable school meals resulted in Sodexo being ranked second in the first-ever School Contract Caterer Ranking by Pro-Veg, and our Alliance in Partnership subsidiary ranked fourth.
In addition to serving sustainable school meals we are also focusing on a number of initiatives aimed at engaging, educating and inspiring action from pupils and staff. These include a pledge system to promote awareness among pupils and our partnership with LeanPath to track, measure and reduce food waste in school kitchens - helping our teams take immediate action to minimise environmental impact.
We’ve also introduced Tower Gardens at selected schools, enabling pupils to grow their own fresh produce on-site. This hands-on experience builds a stronger connection with food, reinforces lessons about sustainability, and encourages healthier eating habits from an early age.
Blind taste tests and taster sessions are organised with popular meat dishes prepared using plants, grains or vegetables which have a lower environmental impact, with the plant-based version chosen as the preferred dish or tasters not being able to distinguish between the two. Such evidence surely demonstrates that you can offer sustainable school meals without compromising on taste.