This is the Midlothian school dinner that is so good you can now buy it at the supermarket

To most people, the thought of school dinners might turn their stomachs; thick, processed, anaemic, stodgy concoctions served up on a plastic tray.

But a Midlothian business has created a school dinner so delicious that it has hit the shops for people to enjoy at home.

Cosmo’s Pizza launched their unique product Pizzinis five years ago to feed the hungry mouths of kids looking to grab and go at school lunchtimes.

Managing director Cosmo Tamburro Jr said: “Pizzinis are a unique product, they’re a trademark product by us and were brought out about five years ago.

“They started being served in schools in Midlothian Council and are made using wholemeal flour and simple ingredients.

“The product since then has grown and now Pizzinis are in 80 per cent of secondary schools in Scotland.”

The family business was established in Edinburgh by Mr Tamburro’s father, Cosmo Tamburro Snr, who earned a reputation for authentic classic Italian cooking at his restaurant Cosmo Ristorante in the 1960s and 70s.

“Our family is synonymous with Edinburgh,” Mr Tamburro added, “My father is still the company chairman, aged 89, but the tomato and mozarella filling used in the Pizzinis comes from those restaurant days. The flavour of the filling is key.”

Not just content with conquering school dinners in Scotland, their famous grab-and-go lunch is also popular in various councils throughout England “from the north right down to Southampton”.

The product is made using wholemeal flour, and meets the required nutritional standards to be served up in schools and filled with tomato and mozarella, or spicy chicken.

The company has had countless calls from parents trying to get a hold of the product and have even had someone drive from Glasgow to the firm just to buy a box of Pizzinis as they weren’t available to purchase in stores – until now.

Today, Cosmo’s Pizzinis launch in Iceland stores around the UK.

“You used to get mums or kids asking where to get them, and the answer until now was you couldn’t,” Mr Tamburro added. “Iceland like to stock innovative products and they’ve taken us on.

“Kids love them because they can hold them in their hands and walk about with them – with their mobile phone in the other hand.

“It’s exciting for us because it’s our first foray into retail. I’m sure we will have loads of mums and kids pick them up, the grab-and-go market has increased so much as our lifestyles get busier.”