George Washington Primary School in Washington, Tyne & Wear was awarded the day as part of the pizza and bakery specialist’s ongoing commitment to working closely with LEAs. Along with a pizza themed quiz and activity sheets, 100 lucky pupils were given the opportunity to make their own dough, as well as taste the new Chicago Town Balanced Choice Pizza which contains a hidden vegetable sauce to further support School Food Standards.

Danielle Scott, a teacher at George Washington Primary School said; “The pizza activity morning went really well, the children engaged with the activities and it has been brilliant for them to learn about one of their favourite foods, as well as how it is made. We really embrace opportunities that give children the chance to experience something new, they especially enjoyed making the dough and tasting the pizzas. It’s been a great opportunity for them to try something new – it’s one of the best mornings we have had at the school.” The north-east school won the pizza activity morning as part of the education partner’s ‘Lunch Times just got Legendary’ campaign and its ongoing work with LEAs and school caterers. As part of the morning the pupils – and teachers – were given the chance to sample the new and improved Balanced Choice Pizza. A great source of fibre, the new pizza contains a hidden vegetable sauce to help schools boost the nutrition of their dishes with a little help from the nation’s favourite frozen pizza brand*.

Speaking at the morning, Richard Cooper, Senior Brand Manager, Dr. Oetker Professional (UK) said: “It’s been fantastic to visit George Washington and spend time with the teaching team and pupils. It’s more important than ever to make food fun and we’re delighted the children enjoyed their morning. The education sector is a core part of our business and customer feedback is really important. Children are often the toughest critics, so to get the thumbs up today on our new school pizza is very rewarding.”

With tomatoes, onions, carrots and red peppers blended into the sauce, the Balanced Choice Pizza brings the quality of Chicago Town pizzas to schools with a product pupils know and want. Supporting school food guidelines by keeping fat and saturated fat levels to a minimum, the new and improved pizza still maintains its legendary takeaway taste thanks to its unique raw dough base that rises in the oven. Responsible for 80 schools across Sunderland including George Washington’s 400 pupils, Keith Myles, Catering Services Manager, Sunderland City Council added; “Dr. Oetker Professional understand what makes children tick and I’m very impressed with the morning. Having children enthused about food and understanding where it comes from is not only fun, but it helps us when it comes to feeding them. I’m really impressed with the new pizza, it’s got a great texture and taste and the feedback from pupils has been good. Putting vegetables on a menu comes with its own challenges, if not cooked correctly they can be bland and the children will push them to the side of their plate. The Balanced Choice Pizza is a clever way of pupils having veg without them even being aware – pizza is one of our best sellers, so I’m confident the children across the city will enjoy it.” Delivering the ultimate pizza hit in as little as six minutes, the new and improved Balanced Choice Pizza guarantees a fully topped consistent result that pupils will enjoy – all without putting additional pressure on the kitchen or having to source new skills to make a dish from scratch. Plus with a long holding time, the pizza is ideal during a busy service where canteen entry times are staggered.