A groundbreaking collaboration between Carmarthenshire County Council and local non-profit Cegin y Bobl has co-produced three seasonal, sustainable, and nutritionally balanced school menus.
The Future Generations Menu Primary School Recipe File Development project, led by Cegin y Bobl and commissioned by Carmarthenshire County Council, brought together pupils, teachers, parents, caterers and producers to co-design a school menu that reflects the values of the Well-being of Future Generations Act: sustainability, participation, and long-term thinking.
“This work shows what’s possible when we move from simply feeding children to engaging them in food, building their skills, and helping them connect with where food comes from,” said Simon Wright, co-founder of Cegin y Bobl. “Carmarthenshire has shown bold leadership in taking this first step.”
The project included interactive cooking workshops with pupils and recipe co-design with teachers and catering teams. The organisers say children responded with enthusiasm and curiosity – trying lentils, chopping fresh vegetables, and learning about food systems in creative, practical ways.
Catering teams, producers and council staff also contributed insight, ideas and energy, ensuring the resulting menus are operationally realistic and grounded in local food availability, Cegin y Bobl said.
A key partner in the project has been Bremenda Isaf Farm, just outside Llanarthne and a Carmarthenshire County Council-run, regenerative farm that will be supplying fresh, seasonal vegetables used in the Future Generations Menu pilot. Bremenda’s produce, grown using organic and climate-conscious methods, will go directly into the dishes served in school canteens, helping children enjoy healthy, flavourful food while reducing food miles and supporting local livelihoods.
The partnership with Bremenda Farm also inspired conversations with pupils about food provenance, climate-friendly farming, and the seasons, reinforcing the project’s commitment to education and sustainability.
The initiative also collaborated with the environmental charity Size of Wales, who have pioneered a Deforestation-Free School Menu pilot in Monmouthshire. By learning from their work, including the inclusion of a chickpea korma curry, Cegin y Bobl was able to integrate sustainability into a local context.
The sharing of resources, insights, and values between both projects has strengthened the vision of school meals that nourish children while supporting ethical supply chains and protecting the world’s forests, Cegin y Bobl said.
Cegin y Bobl has recently been awarded a new round of UK Government Shared Prosperity Funding, which will run until December 2025. As part of this new phase, it is now delivering Food Discovery Courses to pupils in Years 4, 5, and 6 at the three primary schools that helped shape the Future Generations Primary School Menu: Llandeilo Primary School, Ysgol Gymraeg Teilo Sant, and Ysgol Pen Rhos, as well as expanding delivery to Ysgol Gymunedol Trimsaran, building on Cook24 programme work with the school in early 2024.
The funding also supports Food Leadership Taster Days for staff from all four schools, and Monthly Family Cook Clubs, offering children and their families a chance to cook and learn together throughout the year.
