Somerset County Council and the School Food Trust
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
What did they do? Somerset County Council, in partnership with the School Food Trust (SFT), is conducting a pilot scheme that uses Twitter to tell parents what's on their child's school menu each day. The service is aimed at the parents of pupils from 88 schools in the area.
How does it work? Parents have to sign up online for a free account with Twitter. They can then choose to follow Somerset's County Services, which provides school meals for local schools. Messages are sent out every morning, listing the school menu for the day.
What's so good about it? Giving parents a menu every day puts them in control of their child's diet and allows them to plan meals at home. Parents can sign up, even if their child doesn't eat school meals. The messages aim to show the range of healthy, seasonal food on offer, to help parents make informed decisions about whether or not they want their child to eat school meals.
What do parents think? Chris Wainwright, director of communications at the SFT, says parents want more information about what their children are eating. "Parents will be able to ask what children thought about the food on offer and which lunch option they chose. It gives parents the opportunity to start discussions about healthy food."
