School Meals

At Parochial C of E Primary School, we believe that healthy, nutritious food plays a vital role in children's wellbeing, concentration and overall development. We offer both freshly prepared school meals and the option for children to bring a packed lunch, with all choices reflecting our whole-school approach to healthy living.

Hot Meals Provided by Dolce

We partner with Dolce, a family-run school catering company, to deliver freshly cooked, nutritious lunches each day. Meals are prepared using high-quality, British-sourced ingredients and cater for a wide range of dietary needs.

 What Dolce Offers:

• Daily freshly prepared meals, made from seasonal produce

• Three-week rolling menus with a range of choices each day

• Themed days and seasonal options to keep mealtimes engaging

• Vegetarian, vegan, and halal options available daily

• Allergy-conscious choices based on each child's dietary profile

📄 You can view a sample Dolce menu here:

Ordering and Payments via SchoolGrid

We use SchoolGrid, Dolce’s simple and secure online ordering system. Through SchoolGrid, families can:

• Pre-order meals at home or on the go

• Manage allergies, preferences, and dietary needs

• View nutritional and allergen information

• Pay only for meals taken (unless entitled to FSM)

Visit the Dolce Parent FAQs for help getting started.

Dietary Needs and Allergies

Dolce’s ordering system allows parents to input any allergies or dietary requirements. The menu is then filtered to show only suitable options. The kitchen receives alerts to ensure your child’s meal is prepared safely.

More information is available on Dolce’s Our Food page.

Packed Lunches and Our Healthy Eating Ethos

Parochial CE Primary is proud to be a Healthy School, awarded the Food4Life Gold Award for promoting nutritious food and drink choices. To help us maintain this standard and support our pupils’ health and learning, we ask families to follow the government’s guidance on healthier packed lunches.

✅ A healthy packed lunch should include:

• At least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables or salad each day

• A starchy food such as wholemeal bread, pasta, rice, couscous or potatoes

• A source of protein such as lean meat, fish, eggs, lentils, beans, chickpeas or hummus

• A dairy item such as cheese, yoghurt or fromage frais

• Water, milk, fruit juice or smoothies (no fizzy or energy drinks)

🚫 Please avoid:

• Sweets, chocolate bars and chocolate-coated biscuits

• Crisps and high-salt snacks (e.g. sausage rolls, pies, processed meat products)

• Fizzy drinks and sugary beverages

Note: Cakes or biscuits are allowed in moderation as part of a balanced meal, but not as the main feature.

To support you, we’ve created a helpful guide:

packed lunch leaflet final 1 .pdf

Please avoid sending sweets, chocolate bars, or food high in sugar where possible, to help children stay focused and energised throughout the day.

Free School Meals and Payment

• Payments for school meals are made via SchoolGrid

• Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 automatically receive Universal Infant Free School Meals

• Children in Years 3–6 may be eligible for means-tested Free School Meals

• Please speak to the school office if you would like help applying

📞 Questions or Help?

For SchoolGrid or meal enquiries:
Dolce Customer Care
📧 customercare@dolce.co.uk
📞 01942 707709

For anything else:
Parochial School Office
📧 admin@par.fa1.uk
📞 (0161) 343 6070