A number of school caterers in South Yorkshire have been using the Food Delivery for Schools (FDFS) Pasta Framework Agreement. On dry pasta, the contracts have led to savings of up to 14% on current prices, and some have wholewheat pasta at the same price as white. Some of these caterers have been trialling wholewheat pasta in their recipes, so we asked them, is it proving popular with pupils?
- Mary Anderson, Catering Supervisor at Parklands Girls High School, Seacroft, Leeds
“Apart from the health benefits, I think wholewheat pasta is better anyway because it doesn’t stick to the pans like white pasta which means less waste and less time cleaning up. When you use a lot of pasta, like we do, this time saving does make a difference. It’s also good for the children and is slow releasing energy and filling. We always put it with a sauce. In fact, when we first started using it, I was a bit worried that they wouldn’t eat it, but to be honest they seem to like it better than the white!”
- Chris Rushby, Cook in Charge at Bessecar Primary School, Doncaster
“I’ve found that if you use it with a sauce like spaghetti bolognaise, the students don’t notice the difference and they eat it all! You can also use it on the salad bar by adding a bit of mayonnaise and some vegetables. If you serve the pasta plain, the pupils will be less keen to try it because it’s darker, so it looks different to the pasta they’re used to. We’re currently part of a framework that gives you the same price for white and wholewheat pasta. In fact, I’ve had some in today and it’s a bit cheaper than the white.”
For more information or to find out how your school can sign up to these group contracts, email food@Pro5.org or phone 01924 834802
Why wholewheat?
- Wholewheat products are made using the whole of the wheat grain. This means that products such as wholewheat pasta are a good source of fibre and nutrients such as B vitamins, because nothing is taken out.
- Wholewheat pasta contains almost three times more iron than white pasta, so using it in school lunch recipes is a good way to increase the iron content of your menu.
- Wholewheat foods such as wholewheat pasta are rich in fibre, which takes longer for the body to break down. It means that their energy is released slowly which may help pupils to feel fuller for longer. Fibre is also essential for a healthy digestive system.
- Wholewheat pasta comes in a variety of shapes including noodles and spaghetti, so you can such as pasta bakes, lasagne, pasta salad, Chow Mein and spaghetti bolognaise.
