Oily fish should be provided at least once every three weeks in both primary and secondary schools.
What is specified in this standard?
Oily fish should be provided at least once every three weeks in both primary and secondary schools.
Why this standard needs to be in place
- To encourage children to eat more fish containing omega-3 fatty acids which help maintain a healthy heart.
What is the definition of oily fish?
An oily fish is one containing omega-3 fatty acids. This includes fresh, canned or frozen salmon, sardines, pilchards, mackerel, herring and fresh or frozen tuna.
N.B. Tuna only counts as an oily fish when it is fresh or frozen because the omega-3 fatty acids are removed during the canning process. Tinned tuna, white fish, or white fish products with added omega-3 fatty acids do not meet the requirement.
Serving suggestions
- Use oily fish as a salad ingredient. For example: tinned, smoked or fresh salmon salad, smoked or tinned mackerel salad, nicoise salad
- Add oily fish to a sandwich/roll/baguette/wrap filling. For example: salmon and cucumber, tinned sardines or mackerel and salad.
- Include oily fish in main course dishes. For example: baked salmon fillet, baked or grilled fishcakes, fish pie, fish kedgeree.
Good practice
- Offer small taster portions to introduce pupils to fish dishes they may not have tried before. Research shows that small tasters are a good way of helping children to accept new or unfamiliar food.
- Offer a variety of dishes over time to encourage children to keep eating oily fish.
Does this standard apply across the school day in September 2007?
No. This standard required oily fish to be provided at lunchtime only.
