The number of dinner ladies at Alan's school is not explicitly mentioned in the text. However, Vera mentions that she performs multiple roles (waitress, chef, and cleaner) because there are around 1,400 students, which suggests that she might be working with a team, but the exact number is unclear.

Vera cooks a variety of foods in the school canteen, including traditional British food, Italian food, and Chinese food. She emphasizes that there isn’t any junk food or ready meals in the canteen.

Vera thinks the perfect healthy meal is fish, rice or potatoes, and fresh fruit for dessert.

At break, students often eat a healthy snack, which is a popular option according to Vera. Additionally, some students love chocolate cake, though it seems to be more of a secret treat.