Improve School Lunches for kids in Scotland.
The Issue
The new Perth and Kinross school menu does not cater to all dietary requirements and includes a high volume of processed food. Because my children don’t eat processed meat substitutes, there are days when the menu offers no suitable meal for them at all, as all options include these highly processed products. On most days, even when a meal is available, there is still no real choice, as the vegetarian option often relies on processed substitutes.
I want to make it very clear: this is not about disliking vegetarian or vegan meals, but about wanting the quality of those meals to be improved. There are many delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes that don’t require the use of processed meat alternatives. Additionally, all meals are cooked in advance and reheated, which further affects quality.
In contrast, Aberdeenshire Council uses significantly less processed food and offers children three courses per day. Each day, pupils are served soup, followed by a choice of a meat or vegetarian hot option or a sandwich with a side salad, and then dessert. Meals are mostly cooked fresh on site daily. Not one of their vegetarian options includes highly processed food.
We are calling for school meals in Scotland to be changed to give our children healthier options and the same variety available elsewhere. For many children, a school lunch is the only full meal they receive in a day, and I believe this menu is failing those children especially. Meat should be available daily—not necessarily for my children, but for those who may not have access to it at home.
Aberdeenshire Council’s menu is a great example of what a balanced school diet should look like. We know it's not just Perth and Kinross Council that needs to change, as we’ve heard from parents across the country.
Please sign this petition to put pressure on the Scottish Government and local councils to improve school meals to the standard young, growing bodies and minds deserve. Let’s ensure the next generation is healthy, happy, and educated on how to feed themselves properly.
3,556
The Issue
The new Perth and Kinross school menu does not cater to all dietary requirements and includes a high volume of processed food. Because my children don’t eat processed meat substitutes, there are days when the menu offers no suitable meal for them at all, as all options include these highly processed products. On most days, even when a meal is available, there is still no real choice, as the vegetarian option often relies on processed substitutes.
I want to make it very clear: this is not about disliking vegetarian or vegan meals, but about wanting the quality of those meals to be improved. There are many delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes that don’t require the use of processed meat alternatives. Additionally, all meals are cooked in advance and reheated, which further affects quality.
In contrast, Aberdeenshire Council uses significantly less processed food and offers children three courses per day. Each day, pupils are served soup, followed by a choice of a meat or vegetarian hot option or a sandwich with a side salad, and then dessert. Meals are mostly cooked fresh on site daily. Not one of their vegetarian options includes highly processed food.
We are calling for school meals in Scotland to be changed to give our children healthier options and the same variety available elsewhere. For many children, a school lunch is the only full meal they receive in a day, and I believe this menu is failing those children especially. Meat should be available daily—not necessarily for my children, but for those who may not have access to it at home.
Aberdeenshire Council’s menu is a great example of what a balanced school diet should look like. We know it's not just Perth and Kinross Council that needs to change, as we’ve heard from parents across the country.
Please sign this petition to put pressure on the Scottish Government and local councils to improve school meals to the standard young, growing bodies and minds deserve. Let’s ensure the next generation is healthy, happy, and educated on how to feed themselves properly.
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Petition created on 2 May 2025