National School Meals Weeks signs up its 100th participant

National School Meals Week (NSMW) has today signed up its 100th participating organisation, with three weeks still to go before it launches.

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has joined the other 99 contractors and local authorities that will spend the second week in November (7-11) promoting healthy school lunches.

The initiative is designed to give school meal take-up a fresh boost, because numbers tend to decline after the initial high at the start of the school year.

Market research found that after NSMW in 2010, 74% of the 17,000 participating schools recorded success, notching up an average increase in meal numbers of 6.3%. Some 62% said they continued to see an increase the following week and 55% said they had an increase a month afterwards.

The campaign, which is run by the Local Authority Caterers Association for primary and secondary schools, is free. Further details about NSMW and how to sign up can be found at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk

Education: Fresh market >>

National School Meals Week kicks off >>

Not too late to get involved in National School Meals Week >>

By Janie Stamford

E-mail your comments to Janie Stamford here.

If you have something to say on this story or anything else join the debate at Table Talk - Caterer's new networking forum. Go to www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/tabletalk

Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs

Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs