ProVeg UK’s Contract Caterer Ranking, which is now in its second year, recognises contract caterers that put health and sustainability at the heart of their school food offer.
Caterers are assessed on the promotion of plant-based foods, the quantity and quality of plant-based dishes, and the transparency and communication of sustainable, plant-based options across their menus and websites.
Dolce holds two ProVeg UK School Plates Silver Awards for both its primary and secondary menus, reflecting its ongoing work to promote more sustainable choices and increase the availability and appeal of plant-based and vegetarian dishes in schools.
The contract caterer has two dedicated plant-rich days each week – ‘Tasty Tuesday’ and ‘Try it Thursday’ - to encourage pupils to explore new flavours, while 55% of the overall menu is plant-based, with vegetarian and vegan options placed at the very top of menus every day and clearly labelled.
Neil Price, head of food services at Dolce Schools Catering, said: “We work hard on our menu offerings at Dolce, with an increased interest in plant-based meals in our schools. Our ProVeg-ranked menus now have the plant-based options at the very top of the menu, which really helps parents and pupils choose these dishes first.
“Across all of our menus, we have good plant-based options available every day. We focus on hearty, homemade dishes that will appeal to pupils and stand up well against their traditional counterparts including Ultimate Tomato Sauce Pasta, Creole Style Jambalaya and Planet-friendly Spaghetti Bolognese.”