AS the summer holidays draw to a close and most peole with children are out shopping for new school uniforms, it is a good time to think about what you’ll be putting in your little one’s school lunchboxes next term.

It is certainly true that the meals provided by schools have improved a lot in recent years – although they would improve a good deal more if they chose fresh, local ingredients supplied by your Worcestershire farmers’ markets. But many youngsters prefer food prepared at home – so why not make a bit of an extra effort in the new school year and put in a few special items bought at your local farmers’ market?

Cook up a batch of hand-made Worcestershire sausages, bought at a weekend market, cooked on a Sunday, cooled and then pop them out into lunchboxes during the week. Sausage making is alive and well in the county, with a huge variety on offer.

At the Rochford Country Meats stall you will find traditional pork, venison, lamb and mint and pork and leek sausages, while at G&R Tudge, Elmore Farm Foods and Larkin’s Family Meats you will find everything from duck to pork, lamb to venison and many more. Some stallholders also have glutenfree sausages.

If your children like lamb sausages, head to the Vicarage Farm stall, where Henry Wormington will have lamb and mint, lamb and redcurrant, pork and apple, pork and leek and Macon sausage, which is drycured lamb. All are delicious and are sure to go down well with your hungry youngsters.

Next week we’ll have a look at some seasonal lunchbox ideas for the new school year.

Don’t forget, today sees a special farmers’ market at St Peter’s Garden Centre, near Worcester, from 9.30am until 2pm. There will be a host of entertainment on offer, from pottery painting to a bouncy castle, scavenger hunts and space hopper races.

Frank Dooley, of Beez Neez Honey, will also be taking along some bees in an observation hive.

Monday sees your farmers’ market regulars in High Street, Worcester, from 9.30am until 4.30pm as part of the city’s annual festival, organised by VisitWorcester.

Next weekend’s markets are in Victoria Square, Droitwich, on Saturday, September 4, from 9am until 2pm, and in Angel Place, Worcester, on Sunday, September 5, from 9am to 3pm.