Council chiefs have revealed that the number of youngsters choosing to eat school lunches across Aberdeenshire is among the highest in Scotland – and rising.
Since 2013, the number of meals provided in school canteens has increased by 20%, up to nearly four million in the past year.
The figure for primary one and three pupils has remained steady over the past three years at around 83%. In 2015, the SNP introduced a national universal school meal policy.
But, in secondary school, the percentage of teenagers eating on campus has risen from 40.6% in 2015 to 49.5% this year.
Last night, the new chairwoman of Aberdeenshire’s education committee, Gillian Owen, said the figures were positive and attributed the development to better facilities now available to pupils.
Mrs Owen, who represents the Ellon ward, added: “The catering facilities in some of the new community campuses like Ellon and Alford mean pupils are able to stay in the canteens.”
In the past, pupils from Ellon Academy left the campus – which was formerly based in the town centre – to buy food from local takeaways and convenience stores.
The Conservative councillor added that she was “really pleased” the council used so much local produce in the meals provided to kids.
During the last financial year, Aberdeenshire’s school catering service spent £3.8million on “consumables”, of which around £1.3million was used to buy locally-sourced food or produce provided through local suppliers.
The figures were published in a report to the education committee which will meet on Wednesday.
Maria Walker, the local authority’s education director, responded to the news by saying: “The uptake of primary school meals in Aberdeenshire is one of the highest in Scotland.
“The school catering service holds the Food for Life Served Here silver catering mark for the lunchtime services in primary and special schools.
“The quality of produce used in school catering is kept under regular review and any new products are trialled appropriately to test the quality and popularity with pupils.”
