How schools can simultaneously achieve compliance with the nutrient-based standards and accommodate menu flexibility.
Schools and caterers have said the nutrient-based standards reduce variety and stifle creativity due to limited number of recipes that can be used to achieve compliance. Menu modifications are often necessary to enhance the nutrient content of the menus and individual recipes. This means that one solution is to repeat nutrient dense dishes, but repetitive menus are not desirable as they do not encourage dietary diversity or take advantage of seasonality. This can lead to menu fatigue and subsequently reduced take up.
The Trust is currently gathering information from caterers around the country regarding how they simultaneously achieve compliance with the nutrient-based standards and accommodate menu flexibility. This project will demonstrate using examples that a group of recipes with a similar nutrient profile can be easily substituted/swapped without necessarily affected compliance with the nutrient-based standards. Likewise the provision mix i.e. the proportional split between main meals and grab and go options can vary school to school. Further guidance will be provided to illustrate the extent/boundaries of this potential variation from compliant menus. The lessons learned from this project will be shared with other schools and caterers via the Trust website during the autumn term 2009. We will use example menus from those caterers who have successfully implemented menu flexibility with compliance to inspire and enable schools/caterers to develop menus that are varied as well as compliant.
If you are a school caterer and you have successfully developed a compliant menu for a group of schools and your service allows schools to deviate from this central menu please contact us. We would like to learn from you how you manage menu flexibility and compliance with the school food standards. We would like to share your methodology on the Trust website so we can inspire other schools and caterers to be creative and compliant.
If you have a case study on menu flexibility to submit please send it to info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
