12 Dec 2024
St Albans High School for Girls has become the only school in Herts to secure a national award for its healthy and sustainable menus.
STAHS picked up a silver in The ProVeg School Plates Awards, a national accreditation scheme recognising nutritious and eco-friendly menus.
The new menu was launched at the start of the academic year in September, with more than 500 pupils sampling its range of dishes every weekday.
These include a wide range of delicious, planet-friendly dishes including Mediterranean vegetable and pesto panini, creamy wild mushroom risotto with dill oil, and
Japanese katsu sweet potato, all available alongside a salad-counter.
They also have a planet-friendly food day every week, helping children to make the connection between their food and its impact on the Earth.
STAHS catering operations manager Jazz Driscoll said: “There has been a huge shift in the last five to 10 years with people making the conscious decision to eat more plant-based food, so we should be promoting it more!
“With the assistance from ProVeg, we have been able to reinvent our menus with more plant-based dishes. Menu planning has always been a passion of mine, and the guidance and workshops that ProVeg provides can really help to enhance every menu.”
The ProVeg School Plates Awards launched last year, with caters having to take various steps to promote plant-based meals which are tasty and nutritionally balanced.
ProVeg School Plates Awards coordinator Alex Jemison said: “We’re thrilled to acknowledge the great work the school is doing to create healthier and more sustainable
menus.
“St Albans High School for Girls is not only improving children’s health, they are also protecting their future. In the midst of a global climate crisis, reducing food emissions has
never been more pressing, so it’s heartwarming to see how much effort and care has gone into this wonderful example of a more climate-friendly, delicious menu.”
