The Source

We caught up with Local Food Links chief executive, Caroline Morgan to discuss how the

business has expanded over the past twenty years and what they’ve been serving over the

winter months.

Prior to Local Food Links being established, hot school meals had disappeared in Dorset for

over two decades, with every child bringing in a packed lunch or receiving a free school

meal.

Meals were initially supplied one day a week, then two, then three. Eventually, the service

expanded to the full school week – a shift that required significant operational changes.

Home-style cooked lunches are now prepared in three kitchen hubs based in Blandford

Forum, Bridport and Weymouth.

Depending on their requirements, schools either receive a delivered-in hot or cook-chill

service with meals delivered the day before or early in the morning to be reheated on site.

Having this flexibility has enabled Local Food Links to double the number of schools they

work with by maximising the kitchen hubs’ capacity.

Winning schools over

Following the extended absence of hot meals for pupils, Caroline says that the concept

wasn’t really seen as an integral part of the school day.

“We had to convince lunchtime teams, school secretaries, and headteachers that it was

going to be a good idea,” she reflects.

“We developed our own online ordering system, as the initial method with spreadsheets was

unmanageable. Now, we’re on our third iteration of a bespoke system that links parents with

schools and kitchens. Its development has been a collaborative process; we provide training

to onboard new schools and their lunch-time teams.”

The introduction of free meals for infants (Reception, Year 1, and Year 2) in 2014 was a

gamechanger.

“It made hot lunches seem normal again and really helped enhance people’s perception of

school meals.”

Most of the schools Local Food Links deliver to are located in small villages, with only six out

of the 59 schools serving more than 150 meals a day.

While logistics can be challenging, Caroline stresses their commitment: “We have never said

‘you’re too small, we’re not interested,’ to a school and I don’t think we ever would – after all,

every child needs to eat.”

Celebrating local suppliers

Over the years, the enterprise has built strong relationships with many small-scale, local

operators such as their free-range egg supplier based near Sherborne and a local butcher

supplying 100% British meats.

“Our smaller suppliers are always our favourites because they're so reliable in a crisis and

always deliver when needed,” Caroline explains.

Local Food Links works with several fruit and vegetable suppliers, sourcing as locally as

possible.

“There’s a fantastic orchard growing heritage apple varieties. Smaller apples are ideal for

primary-aged children, whereas supermarkets tend to prefer larger fruit, so the relationship

works perfectly.”

Baking goods come from a Devon-based cooperative, Bako, while Hunts, also in Sherborne,

supplies ambient food and drink. Prices are checked monthly and orders adjusted based on

price and availability.

“Our catering manager, Barry Dovell, does this to keep costs competitive. As the business

has grown, we do occasionally use bigger suppliers, however price and quality remain

critical.”

Trust is central to supplier relationships – something tested in the past when a former

butcher repeatedly delivered imported meat.

“British meat is non-negotiable for us, even though budgets are tight. If trust breaks down

with a supplier, that’s the final straw. We’ll always work with those who meet our standards.”

That same commitment to standards and transparency runs through menu development.

Seasonality in action

Barry leads menu development before it’s reviewed by the kitchen teams, to make sure it

works logistically in terms of ordering ingredients and factors such as storage space.

The team work to a seasonal half-termly menu, with two rotations every three weeks.

Every Wednesday is roast dinner day, and there’s a weekly Fish Friday. Some items remain

consistent throughout the year and have become firm favourites with the children.

Every day there are three options to choose from including a vegetarian meal and a third

‘safe’ option, such as a jacket potato or a baguette.

The winter menus featured hearty meals like lasagne, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding,

cottage pies, sausages, and macaroni cheese made with local cheddar.

“Everyone loves the sausages, they’re so popular that parents ask where they can buy

them!”

Winter challenges typically involve sourcing fresh produce. This year, jacket potatoes proved

problematic due to poor growing conditions.

Transport can also affect quality. Broccoli, for example, does not travel well, while peas and

sweetcorn are more resilient.

Vegetables are often incorporated into sauces, with courgette, butternut squash, onion and

garlic blended into tomato bases for pasta, pizza, casseroles and curries. Another winter

success has been roasted vegetables in puff pastry.

Caroline is passionate about introducing children to new flavours.

“The Watercress Company is based in Dorset, and we trialled a watercress soup in January.

We also tested jackfruit for the first time – that one probably won’t return based on feedback!

But you have to try these things.”

One particularly successful trial involved a blind tasting of beef versus venison Bolognese.

“We invited Year 5 and Year 8 pupils to take part. Some didn’t know what venison was, and

a few chose not to try it. But those who did overwhelmingly voted for the venison.”

The trial followed an introduction to West Dorset Wilding through Love British Food founder

Alexia Robinson. The game specialist hopes to supply public sector caterers.

“If children enjoy venison, there’s no reason not to include it,” Caroline says. “You can have

fun and try new things – just don’t mess with the dishes they really love.”

Nutrition matters

All recipes comply with government school food standards, including limits on oily

foods, requirements for fruit-based desserts and guidelines ensuring variety across

carbohydrates and proteins.

Careful menu planning ensures balanced meals while maintaining flavour and familiarity.

“I regularly send the simplified school food standards to people to better help them

understand why and how our menus are developed as they are. Variety is really important

and it’s great to be able to showcase the foods that we grow in this country,” she adds.

Ongoing dialogue

Feedback from schools is taken seriously. Each day, a portion guide is supplied, detailing the

number of meals, vegetarian requirements and allergen information. Feedback is collected

and reviewed every month to refine menus and ensure meals are being well received.

Training is given to lunchtime staff, and Caroline has termly meetings with schools to ensure

each partnership is working effectively. A dedicated team member also oversees school

liaison, gathering direct feedback from pupils and staff.

“We work hard to be seen as genuine partners,” Caroline says.

Weathering the storm

This winter, flooding has caused significant disruption, with some schools closed for up to

three days due to road closures.

“Our drivers always try to find alternative routes, even if deliveries are slightly later than

usual. We budget for the occasional ‘snow day’, but flooding can still present challenges.”

Closures can affect finances depending on notification times.

“If we’re told before 3pm the previous day, there’s no charge. After that, preparation may

already have begun, which can lead to waste. We always try to redirect food elsewhere to

minimise that.”

Looking ahead

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Local Food Links and plans are underway to create

a commemorative recipe book for each of the 9,500 pupils.

“It will feature the dishes children love most and encourage them to recreate them at home,”

Caroline says.

“Food is really important and we want to nurture pupils’ love of great British ingredients and

for them to develop lifelong healthy eating habits.”

After two decades, Local Food Links is not simply serving meals, it’s rebuilding a culture of

school food in rural Dorset.