School dinner success on show

Despite rising costs and staffing and funding pressures, the EA's Catering Service has successfully grown demand for its school meals in recent years.

This is being highlighted today at IFEX - Northern Ireland’s premier food, drink, retail and hospitality trade event - which is being held at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn.

With public sector catering one of this year's key themes at IFEX, EA has a session today entitled “Fuelling the Future: The changing plate of school meals”.

EA's Catering Service serves up to 160,000 meals per day in over 1,000 schools. Through a series of innovations, it has increased take-up in schools.

Paid-for meals in schools have increased by 22% overall within the last three years (2022–25). Paid meals in Post Primary have increased by 45%.

Initiatives have included harmonising menus and introducing theme days across nursery, primary and special schools, along with new grab and go outlets in post primary schools. Street food and "Flavours Around the World" themes for post primary pupils have proved popular.

EA Head of Catering Stephen Briggs said: 

"We very much welcome the opportunity at IFEX to showcase the work of our great catering teams.

"This includes the ongoing work to transform the service and what it offers to children and young people.

"Like all other public services, EA Catering has its challenges for the future. I am nevertheless confident that, with the dedicated teams we have, we can more than meet those challenges."