Schools offered Scotch meat lesson vouchers

Secondary school pupils in Scotland will once again have the opportunity to learn more about farming, food production, and provenance through hands-on experience cooking with Scotch red meat.

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is reopening its Make it Scotch Meat Voucher Scheme for the 2026-27 academic year, giving secondary schools access to Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork for practical food lessons.

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The initiative aims to build pupils’ cooking skills while helping them understand where their food comes from and the role of farmers, processors and butchers in Scotland’s red meat supply chain.

Depending on size, schools can apply for vouchers worth up to £180 to spend with participating Scotch Butchers Club members.

Teachers can also request recipe cards featuring dishes including Scotch Beef burritos and Scotch Lamb cheesy shepherd’s pie loaded potatoes.

Further support is available from Make it Scotch ambassadors, who can bring farming, food and cookery experience into classrooms through demonstrations and discussions.

QMS community engagement co-ordinator Abby Goldie said: “By giving pupils the chance to cook with quality-assured, locally sourced ingredients, we can support teachers in delivering lessons that are engaging, relevant and rooted in Scotland’s food and farming story.”

Developing life skills

Ms Goldie added that the scheme helps young people develop valuable life skills “while building a greater appreciation of the people and standards behind Scotch red meat”.

Dumfries High School previously used the scheme to source Scotch meat from The Butchery, a local business.

Home economics teacher Samantha Barrick said: “This opportunity allowed us to use a wider variety of cuts and gave pupils valuable experience working with locally sourced produce, enhancing their learning and appreciation of Scottish ingredients.”

Applications open on 24 August and close on 30 January, with vouchers issued on a rolling basis. They must be spent by 12 February.

Teachers can apply via the Make it Scotch website and are encouraged to apply early to make the most of the voucher and supporting classroom resources.