Meals and Snacks – ELC, Primary and Secondary

Facilities Services (Catering) is the in-house provider of school meals and operates in line with the Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020. These regulations require the provision of a balanced, nutritious meals each school day. By following these standards, the catering service:  

• Places health promotion at the heart of school life
• Ensures all food and drink served meets national nutritional requirements
• Supports the promotion and uptake of both paid and free school meals 

Naturally D&G

Naturally Dumfries and Galloway is our sustainable school meals brand. It is about more than just the food we serve – it reflects our commitment to sustainability, legislation, health and tackling climate change across all aspects of the school meals service.

Through Naturally Dumfries and Galloway, we ensure that:

• Meals are freshly prepared using seasonal ingredients where possible
• Eggs come from free-range hens, and meat is sourced from animals farmed to recognised British and EU welfare standards
• No endangered fish species are served
• Menus are free from undesirable additives and genetically modified (GM) ingredients

For further information on school meals, visit School Meals – Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Dietary Requirements

Facilities Services (Catering) can provide special meals for pupils with food allergies, intolerances, medically prescribed diets, or dietary requirements linked to religious or cultural beliefs.

To request a special diet, please ask your school for a Special Diet Request Form. This enables the catering team to be informed of your child’s needs and discuss their requirements in detail to ensure appropriate meal provision.

For further information, please contact the Legislation and Nutrition Officer at DGSchoolMeals@dumgal.gov.uk

Ordering Meals

All primary schools now operate a pre-order system for school lunches, covering both free and paid school meals.

Parents and carers will receive information from their school explaining how to create and set up an account for their child. Pupils can pre-order their meals at home, in the classroom with support from school staff, or with assistance from the school cook. For pupils requiring a special diet, further information about the ordering process will be provided once their dietary requirements have been registered.

Online pre-ordering of school meals is also being rolled out across secondary schools. Information on how to access the system will be provided directly by your child’s school. For more information about school meals, visit:
School Meals – Dumfries and Galloway Council

School Meal Entitlement

All pupils in Primary 1 to Primary 5 are entitled to free school meals, regardless of their family’s income. For pupils in Primary 6 and Primary 7, free school meals may be available through a means-tested application, depending on household circumstances and eligibility criteria.

Free school meals can provide significant savings for families. Over the course of a school year, families can save approximately £429 per child in nursery or primary school and £469 per child in secondary school. If your child is eligible for free school meals, it is important to apply even if they already receive a meal through a universal entitlement. Registering your entitlement helps ensure your child’s school receives its full share of Scottish Government funding, as some funding allocations are linked to the number of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Universal provision

In Nursery, eligible children can receive up to 1,140 hours of funded Early Learning and Childcare each year. As part of this entitlement, children are provided with one free meal and a snack each day.

Nursery and childcare settings also participate in the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme, which provides a daily serving of plain fresh milk (or an approved non-dairy alternative) and a healthy snack, such as a portion of fruit or vegetables. This is available to children who attend a registered childcare setting for two hours or more per day.

For further information about the scheme, please contact your childcare provider.

For further information on school meals, visit School Meals – Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Free School Meals

Applying for free school meals can therefore benefit both your family and your child’s school by helping to secure additional resources and support for pupils.

For more information on free school meals, visit Free School Meals – Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Parents and Carers – please register your child with the catering team as soon as you are aware of any allergens or intolerance to food.