Council defends school dinners after complaint about ‘poor quality’ new menu
Buffalo cauliflower wings criticised for being too ‘out there’ for pupils
SHETLAND Islands Council (SIC) has defended its school meals after a formal complaint about its new menu.
The council recently updated the meal offering in its schools after working with the Scottish Government to ensure the menu met all national nutritional guidance.
A formal complaint seen by Shetland News was lodged with the SIC about the changes, from a former professor in Edinburgh who criticised the “poor quality” and “unconventional” choices in the new menu.
Susan Robertson said she had been inclined to complain because she knew of people in the teaching profession in Shetland, and she claimed the menu had been introduced without proper consultation with children, cooks and parent councils.
She said several of the new dishes “do not align well with local culinary traditions or the tastes of Shetland and our children”.
“Dishes that are ‘out there’ may be exciting in theory but can be off-putting in practice, leading to wasted food and unhappy students,” she said.
Buffalo cauliflower wings were cited as one example of a poor menu choice by Robertson in her complaint.
However the SIC’s acting catering team leader Cathy Mann defended the new menu in a response to Robertson this week.
Mann said the menu had been developed through a “structured process” involving experienced catering staff and management, with consideration also given to previous feedback about school dinners.
She said the SIC understood that “not every dish will appeal to every child or family.”
“The menu has been designed to balance familiar favourites with some newer options while fully complying with Scottish school food standards,” Mann said.
“The menu includes a range of familiar and popular options, including fish and chips, macaroni cheese, burgers, sausages, pizza, fajitas, chicken goujons, curry, spaghetti bolognese, and mince and tatties.
“The menu also includes some newer dishes that are increasingly common in schools and public sector catering across Scotland.
“The reference to ‘buffalo cauliflower wings’ relates to just one item within a varied menu and helps provide a plant-based option alongside many more traditional choices.”
Robertson had accused the SIC of a “deeply disappointing” lack of consultation, and said the menu seemed to have been introduced “without any meaningful input” from children themselves.
She also raised concerns about where food was coming from, saying some basic ingredients “appear to travel significant air miles” – contradicting efforts towards sustainability.
And she claimed the cook teams locally had expressed concern about the “poor quality and appeal” of the new menu, which they believed “will lead to a significant decline in the uptake of school meals”.
“This reduction in demand could jeopardise their jobs, as fewer meals prepared might result in staffing cuts or even closures of kitchen operations,” she said.
Robertson also questioned whether any assessment had taken place into the impact the new menu would have on children with special educational needs, and asked if pupils and parents had been polled for their thoughts on the new menu.
In response to the concerns, Mann said that where possible local ingredients were used, including locally grown potatoes and vegetables, along with Shetland milk and local fish.
“There has been no change to our sourcing arrangements because of the revised school meals menu,” she said.
“Where possible, local, and seasonal produce is used, but sourcing routes and suppliers remain unchanged.”
Meal uptake would be “routinely monitored” and the menu was “not set in stone”, but would be “kept under review” to see if any changes needed to be made.
“Our catering teams provide an excellent service across our schools and play an important role in encouraging young people to try a wider range of foods,” Mann said.
“There are no plans to reduce staffing or kitchen operations because of the menu changes.”
She said a revised special diet request form had been developed with input from ASN colleagues, and would allow the SIC to accommodate the needs of those with individual dietary requirements.
“Feedback is gathered through schools, catering staff, pupils, parents, and routine service monitoring.
“While no formal poll was undertaken as part of this review, this feedback continues to inform service development and any future menu changes.
“School menus are not set in stone and will continue to evolve in response to feedback, meal uptake and operational experience.”
Mann added that Shetland’s school meals service “has a strong reputation for quality” and continues to hold Food for Life Served Here accreditation.
“Our kitchens prepare a high proportion of meals from scratch using fresh ingredients, which remains a cornerstone of the service,” she said.
“We are proud of the quality of food served in Shetland schools and of the dedication of our staff who deliver this service each day.
“We are confident that the revised menu meets these priorities and complies with national standards. We will continue to listen to feedback and make changes where evidence shows improvements can be made.”
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