Scottish schools are urged to claim their free £100 meat voucher

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) are urging Scottish secondary schools to apply for their Meat Vouchers Scheme before this years initiative closes on 31 December 2014.

The initiative, which has been running for four years, aims to help Scotland’s school pupils learn how to cook quick, tasty, healthy meals. Every secondary school in Scotland is eligible to apply for vouchers worth up to £100. These vouchers can then be exchanged by the school for top quality meat such as Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork at local retailers.

Developed in response to concerns that tight budgets mean many Scottish schools are unable to afford fresh, red meat products for cookery lessons, the scheme is a key component in QMS’s health and education work to ensure young people understand the role of red meat in a healthy, balanced diet.

Jennifer Robertson, a registered dietitian and QMS’s Health and Education Coordinator, said: “We think it is really important to educate Scottish secondary school pupils, who are the consumers of the future, on the range of ingredients available to them as well as showing them how to cook simple, nutritious meals that need not cost the earth.

“Lean red meat not only tastes good, but is a great source of protein, b-vitamins, iron and zinc. With more than a third of Scotland’s young people lacking in iron, red meat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet.”

She continued: “Over 320 secondary schools took part in the initiative last year, an increase of 20% from 2012/13, and the feedback from schools has been fantastic.”

Home Economics teachers across Scotland should apply for their voucher before 31 December 2014. The vouchers are worth up to £100, depending on the number of pupils on the school roll, and are valid until mid-February 2015. Vouchers can be redeemed at local butchers and retailers.

Home economics teachers can apply for their voucher by following this link