Food

At Vacational Studies we only serve food that we believe parents would feel safe to serve their own children in their own homes. Our policy is not to serve any food about which there is any concern for any reason. Food is an important part of the course. Meals are prepared by professional caterers to a high standard. Our specification for lunch and dinner is a choice of hot dishes (including one vegetarian) or a cold dish, a salad bar comprising more than ten different items, a choice of desserts and fresh fruit. If they cannot find anything they like, they can ask us to ask the caterer to prepare something special. There are always vegetarian and vegan options. Special diets, such as gluten-free, can be catered for. Cold orange juice or other drinks are available at no charge. There is also a small 'tuck shop'.

Here is a typical menu for guidance:

• Breakfast – Choice of cereal. Choice of various breads, meats, cheese, fruit, jam, marmalade, other spreads. Tea, chocolate, coffee, milk, fresh orange juice.
• Lunch – Choice of three hot dishes. Buffet-style salad bar. Choice of desserts. Fresh fruit. Please take a look at an example hot lunch, cold lunch and Sunday lunch videos.
• Dinner – Choice of three hot dishes. Buffet-style salad bar. Choice of desserts. Fresh fruit.
• Before bedtime – Hot chocolate and biscuits.

At times throughout the course, the menu will be varied to include, for example, barbecues (spare rib, hamburger, jacket potatoes, coleslaw dip, crisps, ice-cream, etc.) There will be a traditional British 'Christmas Dinner' (roast turkey with stuffing, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts & cranberry jelly); 'English High Tea'; Barbecue, etc. There may also be 'national meals'. If they wish, students can advise the kitchen staff on how to prepare and serve a meal comprising dishes from their own country.  Some dinners are formal dinners.

Any positive or negative comments about the catering can be brought to the Student Council by a student Councillor. This and other positions of responsibility are described here.

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Read more about Mary Hare. The Mary Hare School is a campus comprising several buildings that we have used since 1982. There are beautiful formal gardens and woodland and extensive grounds which include several playing fields, a range of tennis courts, a gymnasium and a large indoor swimming pool.