Sign-up for Roast Dinner Day 2011

The Food for Life Partnership is inviting every school across England to take part in the second Roast Dinner Day on 12 October 2011. Last year, 6,850 schools and 28 caterers participated, serving over ONE MILLION roast dinners on the same day.

The Food for Life Partnership Roast Dinner Day is about engaging parents and local communities in creating a better food culture at school and in the wider community. It’s about highlighting the importance of good, healthy school dinners and educating children about where food comes from through growing, cooking and farm visits.

Get involved
If you would like to take part in Roast Dinner Day 2011 then sign-up by emailing Natasha Moseley, our events officer nmoseley@soilassociation.org

To take part in this year’s event, all schools have to do is serve a locally-sourced/organic roast dinner and invite parents and the local community into the school to enjoy the meal. Partcipating schools might like to have a go at serving a Bronze standard meal, which means that it should be seasonal and 75% freshly prepared. The dinner may even include produce from the school’s own garden.

What schools said last year

Sue Rann, Business Manager at Cowes Primary School on the Isle of Wight, said: “It was a fantastic day and it really impressed upon the students that food is not just out of tins.”

Paula Wells, Headteacher at Forton Primary School in Lancashire, said: “It was very well received with lots of very pleased people saying how lovely it was to come in [to the school]. This is an event to show off the quality of our dinners and family style dining, where the older children help the younger ones, sitting down at the table together in a nice atmosphere with lovely, healthy food.”

Jacky Lomax, Axe Valley Community College in Devon, said: “We took part in the ‘Roast Dinner Day’ challenge. It was a great success with students and staff enjoying Roast Beef and Gammon with all the trimmings. Lunch numbers were up 70%!”

Food for Life Partnership Roast Dinner Day Menu

Main course

Local/organic roast of your school’s choice
Cheesy courgette sausage*
Seasonal vegetables (can be from your school garden)
Roast/mashed potatoes
Gravy*

Dessert
Seasonal fruit crumble
Fresh milk custard
Fresh fruit salad

* Roast dinner recipes (pdf, 155KB)