Fruit and vegetable producers are being urged to help Scottish education bosses improve their healthy offering to school children.
Gillian Kynoch, food and health co-ordinator for the Scottish Executive, said they were always looking for innovative ways to delivery fresh produce to children.
“We’re searching for solution, how do we get fruit and vegetable to work in the school meal environment,” she said.
The Scottish government has introduced a programme, Hungry for Success, to tackle and improve the country’s school meal offering, and Kynoch said suppliers had a role to play.
“We’ve seen things like prepared fruit in pots for primary schools that have proved very successful. Secondary schools have been innovative in developing salad packs to encourage children to pick them up.
“We do need solutions when it comes to fresh produce, and it’s a challenging area for school meals and we need help on that from the suppliers.”
Meanwhile, Barry Gurteen, trade sector director with Brakes Education and Healthcare Channels, said they had introduced a prepared apple and grape snack pack.
“It’s been one of the most successful products we’ve launched in years. We will have sold well over a million bags this year. We now have plans to introduce other varieties,” he said.
