If you’re yet to choose what you’re going to be serving up on Christmas Day or organise your Christmas food shop, spare a thought for the kitchen teams of school caterers, Educaterers.
By the conclusion of this week, Educaterers will have served up an incredible 70,000 school Christmas lunches at the multiple schools they cater for across Warwickshire, Coventry, Leicestershire, Birmingham, and Oxfordshire.
The Warwickshire-based caterers started serving the best roast dinner of the year, Christmas lunch, at the 200 + schools they cater for last week, with further delicious lunches being served this week.
It has been a busy time for schools, with Christmas activities keeping school staff on their toes, as at least some events such as nativities, school plays, Christmas jumper days and festive fayres have been able to take place this year.
But the highlight of the seasonal celebrations – and a sign that the end of term is approaching – must be Christmas dinner.
On the Educaterers menu for primary school pupils was the traditional roast turkey breast fillet with sausage and bacon roll, sage and onion stuffing and gravy, or the option of a Quorn fillet if pupils preferred, all served up with crispy roast potatoes, garden peas and baby carrots (but no sprouts).
The all-important pudding was either ice cream or a homemade chocolate cracknel bauble.
Educaterers’ kitchen teams have been getting into the festive spirit by dressing up and wearing Santa hats or Christmas jumpers to serve the children their Christmas lunches.
Several primary schools have held Christmas jumper days or their Christmas parties on the same day to truly increase the excitement levels!
Secondary schools that receive Educaterers meals haven’t missed out on delicious Christmas food either!
A special German Christmas Market menu has been available every lunch time in December including Bratwursts or vegan Frankfurters with fried onions, mustard mayonnaise and ketchup in a pretzel hot dog bun, as well as Currywurst with fries and winter slaw.
For those secondary pupils who wanted a sweet treat, Educaterers have been serving up waffles, iced gingerbread, Christmas Panetone, and hot chocolate with cinnamon and whipped cream.
Educaterers take care to use locally sourced ingredients including British Red Tractor turkey and free-range eggs and hold the Soil Association’s Food for Life Silver Catering Mark.
Caroline Alexander, Managing Director of Educaterers, said: “Our gratitude goes to our hard-working school catering teams, who have ended a really eventful year by getting into the spirit of Christmas to offer our pupils a brilliant festive lunch. We’d like to wish all our colleagues, schools, pupils and parents a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
For more information on Educaterers visit www.educaterers.co.uk.