School meal providers in Perth and Kinross have been invited to visit a school in Stirling to “see how it’s done” as the row over food quality rumbles on.
Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell has used a debate in Scottish Parliament to call for an immediate upgrade to school meals in Perth and Kinross.
Speaking in the annual debate for Scotland’s Food and Drink Fortnight, Mr Ruskell challenged Perth and Kinross Council and school meals provider Tayside Contracts to adopt the Food for Life programme in their schools.
The initiative bases school meals around locally sourced, healthy organic produce and is currently running in nine local authorities across Scotland.
Tayside Contracts boss hits back at critics after ‘revolting’ school meals pictures shared by pupils
The MSP said Stirling Council has adopted the initiative without incurring any extra cost.
Mr Ruskell said: “Scotland is rightly recognised the world over for the quality of our produce but too often it is presented as a luxury or a commodity when we should be ensuring all people feel the benefit, starting with the children in our schools.
“The roll out of centrally produced, frozen meals from Tayside Contracts has rightly worried parents, but adopting the Food for Life programme would give them reassurance the meals their kids are eating are not only healthy but supporting local farmers.
“Stirling Council has achieved Food for Life standards without an increase in cost, I invite Tayside Contracts to come visit a Food for Life school to see how it’s done.”
Tayside Contracts has defended its meals, saying the images posted to social media were “isolated cases”.