Read the latest primary school menu     Contact us

We are committed to providing healthy, nutritious, good value meal options to pupils in our primary and secondary schools.

All of our menus comply with the Scottish Government's Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 and with Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

Primary school meals

Our Primary school lunch offer is a two course menu with a choice of main meal, and will be either a starter and a main course, or a main course and a dessert. The menu runs on a four week cycle, so that there is plenty of choice for pupils.

The current cost for a Primary school meal is £2.00.

Where there is a choice, pupils can choose to have either a starter and main course, or a main course and dessert. Fruit and yoghurt will be available daily as a dessert option. Water, and a selection of bread and salad are also provided every day. Some larger schools may have baked potatoes available every day. Milk is available to purchase at 10p for 200ml.

The Primary school menu is revised twice per year, typically in October and in March. The menu is developed in collaboration with pupils, who participate in focus groups, with Head Teachers, with the Catering Service and with a dietician from NHS Highland. Feedback from parents is also always welcome.

You can have a look at our current primary school lunch menu here.

Secondary school meals

Across our Secondary schools, pupils can opt for a two course set meal, which costs £2.10. In addition to this, Secondary schools offer a range of hot and cold snacks and meal deals at lunch time. A selection of hot and cold items are also available at mid-morning interval.

Menus are designed specifically for each individual Secondary School, and may be available on the school’s website. A copy of the menu can be obtained from the school.

Secondary meals can be pre-ordered, to minimise queuing at lunchtime.

Special dietary requirements

We can cater for special dietary requirements, and a vegetarian meal option is available every day. For further information, please contact the school office.

If your child has a food allergy, we can also cater for this. We do not use products that contain nuts as a main ingredient. Please contact us if you have any concerns.

Free school meals

To find out if you qualify for free school meals, please contact the relevant school (during term time). You can apply for free school meals using this on line free school meals application.

Paying for school meals

Primary school meals can be paid for by cash or cheque at most schools. If your child attends a joint campus school you can also pay online. Please contact the school office for further information. We are currently piloting on-line payments for primary school meals. If your school is participating in this trial, you can pay for school meals here.

Secondary schools - A cashless payment system is available in the following schools, which allows you to pay for you child's meals in advance on our website:

• Lochgilphead Joint Campus
• Tarbert Academy
• Tobermory Primary & High School
• Rothesay Academy
• Dunoon Grammar School
• Campbeltown Grammar School
• Hermitage Academy
• Oban High School
• Islay High School

Parents can add money to their child’s account by paying in cash, cheque or via the website. 

Staff training, standards and environmental health

All Catering staff receive regular training in food hygiene, and each staff member holds an Elementary Food Hygiene Certificate. Staff are also trained in nutrition and allergy awareness.

All of our kitchens follow HACCP guidelines and comply with Environmental Health guidance.

We operate our service to a high Quality Management standard, and the service holds ISO9001:2008 accreditation.

Contact us

We always welcome comments on our menus, and on the service we provide. If you would like to get in touch with us, please complete the online form. 

Work with us

If you are interested in working for the Catering Service, you can browse the vacant jobs currently available on the myjobscotland website.