Earlier this week, Hazel Grove Primary School welcomed families into the dining hall for a special after-school food tasting event, hosted by our catering provider Dolce and our wonderful school cook, Beth. Despite the freezing temperatures and snow on the ground, parents and children were treated to a delicious selection of freshly prepared dishes – and the warm food was very welcome after coming in from the cold! On the menu were favourites such as fish pie, vegetarian curry, pizza and a much-loved sticky toffee pudding.
Families join the queue to sample the tasty food
Families were welcomed into the hall by Headteacher Mr Hossen, who was delighted to meet parents and share his enthusiasm for the school meals. Mr Hossen is a big supporter of the food on offer and regularly joins pupils in the dining hall at lunchtime, enjoying the same meals as the children – a great endorsement of the quality and care that goes into every dish.
The event gave families the chance to see –and taste – the high quality of food available at lunchtimes, helping to challenge some of the old ideas around “school dinners”. The feedback spoke for itself, with comments like “It’s like real proper food!” and “Can we do this every day?”
There were plenty of standout moments too. One pupil enjoyed the vegetarian curry so much that he ate every last bite – including spinach – for the very first time, while another declared the sticky toffee pudding her clear favourite, proudly sharing: “I love the cake inside of it!”
The tasting event created a real buzz and a lovely sense of community in the dining hall, with lots of happy faces and conversations between families – and, of course, a great excuse to warm up together.
All of our school meals are provided by Dolce, a family-run catering company passionate about providing nutritious, high-quality food for schools across the UK. Meals are freshly prepared from raw ingredients each day in our kitchen, with careful attention given to dietary requirements. Dolce also supports pupils in developing healthy eating habits by offering a varied menu full of tasty, balanced options – even for the fussiest of eaters.
We’d also like to gently remind parents how important it is to check whether your child is eligible for free school meals. All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are automatically entitled, and many older children in Year 3 and above may also qualify. Registering helps ensure your child enjoys a nutritious meal each day and provides valuable additional funding to support learning and wellbeing across the school. Checking eligibility is quick, easy and confidential. We’d really encourage all families to take a moment to check or start an application using the online form here: https://apply.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims
Thank you to everyone who came along, we loved welcoming you in and sharing a taste of what’s on the menu at Hazel Grove Primary School!