Unilever Away From Home UK’s Post

https://lnkd.in/e7VtyAXM This article has caught the attention of much of the nation. It has even been discussed on ITV’s This Morning today. In the article, the Head Teacher at a secondary school in Southampton explains how they are not impressed by the quality of the food served to the pupils at his school. Good quality, tasty and nutritious food served at school is essential for pupils to grow and develop both physically and mentally. Not to mention how it lays the foundation for pupils to have a good relationship with food as they become adults. At school, pupils should look forward to enjoying some of their 3 daily meals and 2 daily snacks. Whilst the majority of these should be healthy and balanced, it’s essential we’re all reminded of what a healthy and balanced school meal should consist of. Throughout the week the meals offered should contain a variety of different vegetables, fruits, pulses (beans, lentils and chickpeas), foods high in complex carbohydrates (e.g. wholegrains where possible), protein foods and some dairy or dairy alternatives, with oily fish being offered once every 2 weeks as well. Whilst there are many different factors involved in pupils receiving these healthy balanced lunches (including catering operational challenges and also the pupil's choice) we should tirelessly work together to ensure pupils have the opportunity to properly nourish themselves throughout the school day, every day. #SchoolFoodQuality #NutritiousSchoolMeals #ChildWellnessMatters #BalancedSchoolMeals #HealthyFoodChoices #SchoolMealStandards #NutritionAwareness #SchoolMealQuality #NourishTheNextGeneration

Great article in Public Sector Catering today on School Food Matters investigating the cost of a healthy school meal. Cohesion Consulting are delighted to be able to support this incredibly worthwhile, and very necessary, project along with Myles Bremner and Brad Pearce. 👇 https://lnkd.in/eqigxJQ3

School Food Standards and why schools struggle to comply to these standards 👇Time for a hard look at school meals in primary and secondary state funded schools. The recent introduction of school breakfast clubs is most welcomed but we need to ensure that all food served in schools, whether at breakfast, break, or lunch adheres to food/ nutritional standards. Indeed, rather than treat separately, the menu of food offered across the school day needs to be considered. Refining the current provision to maximise partnership working across the school day, rather than relying on numerous separate government funded school based food intervention programmes would be a good start. https://lnkd.in/e8Qu92B7

A recent post by the BBC and Public Sector Catering highlights that the "Welsh Council claims schoolchildren prefer ultra-processed food." In a world where a bag of frozen chicken nuggets is more affordable than a tray of fresh chicken breast, it all comes down to access and knowledge. Learning where whole foods come from, the benefits of healthy eating, and access to affordable, nutritious foods for families in deprived areas have been a struggle for the UK for many years. That is why healthy catering options on the menu, as well as food education programmes and learning resources, are key for pupils to develop a healthy relationship with food and healthy eating habits. That is why, at Cleverchefs, we are focused on developing age-appropriate menus and resources such as the CleverFood Hub. The Cleverfood Hub is a microsite dedicated to sharing nutritional and factual information about seasonal British produce. The content changes every month to showcase one particular food/veggie. It highlights the importance of eating local produce and encourages pupils to try new ways of eating, with recipes and cooking suggestions. It also offers games and crafts to make at home. It is a small step in the right direction. https://lnkd.in/exFTqN64

🌟 Back to Basics for Healthier School Meals! 🌟 Cheney and Colville School Districts in Washington are transforming school food service by using local ingredients and scratch-made dishes. 🥗🍎 By partnering with local farmers, bakers, and ranchers, they're serving healthier, tastier meals to students and supporting the community. 💪🌾 School nutrition professionals report that this approach results in better food choices and keeps dollars local. 🏫💰 💡 Take Action: Advocate for local, scratch-made meals in your community's schools for healthier, more sustainable eating. #FoodAndNutrition #HealthyLiving #CommunitySupport #SustainableEating 💬 How can your community benefit from local ingredients? Share below! ⬇️

It's alarming to see the rise in health issues among students at such an early age. A major contributing factor? The frequent consumption of street food and packed food. This trend is concerning and begs the question: Who holds the responsibility? 🤔 Is it the **government**, for not enforcing stricter food safety regulations? Is it the **parents**, for not educating their children about healthy eating habits? Or is it a **collective responsibility**, including educators, food vendors, and the students themselves? What do you think? How can we address this growing problem and promote healthier food choices? Let's promote healthier food choices, better education on nutrition, and stricter food safety standards. Together, we can ensure a healthier future for our students! 🌱💪 #HealthMatters #StudentWellbeing #HealthyEating #CommunityResponsibility #NutritionEducation

School Menus Under the Spotlight. Recent research of over 2,000 UK parents reveals overwhelming support to see more healthy and planet friendly options on school menus. The polling, conducted by Savanta, on behalf of the Children’s Food Campaign, shows that 8 in 10 parents want to see more rigorous enforcement of nutritional standards for school food, with the same number agreeing that school inspections should encompass oversight of school food policy and the quality of food served. In addition, parents widely support the promotion of healthy and sustainable school meal policies. Just over half of parents believe their children’s school meals are nutritious, with parents of secondary school-aged children expressing less confidence compared to parents of primary school-aged children. - 89% of parents want to see school meals offer a range of healthy options. - 84% support replacing sugary desserts with more fruit and healthy yogurts. - 77% of parents would like schools to be encouraged to serve foods that are good for nature and the environment, whilst just over half of parents (55%) support more meat-free days or replacing meat and dairy with beans, pulses or other healthy plant-based options. - 74% of parents support all schools having healthy packed lunch policies. - 66% of parents support water and milk-only policies. #schoolfood #school #foodanddrink #food #drink #cotswolds #packedlunch #milk #meat #plantbased #policy #foodpolicy

Discover the impact of a strong School Food Service Program in Michigan schools. Learn how universally free meals can benefit students' health and performance. #SchoolFoodService #FoodServiceSolutions #SchoolLunchGoals

🍎 Uncovering the Truth About School Lunches: What Every Parent Needs to Know 🍽️ In my latest blog post, I dive deep into the hidden world of school food service with industry expert Dennis Thomas. We discuss: • Expired food in cafeterias • Cultural insensitivity in meal planning • Lack of transparency in food contracts • Hazardous eating environments Learn how these issues impact our children's health and education, and what YOU can do to make a difference. Read now: https://ow.ly/mCPX50TWwqI #SchoolLunchReform #StudentNutrition #EducationalEquity #FoodServiceQuality #HealthySchools Dennis Thomas

Today was a Fish 'n' Chip Friday at Castlefield School in High Wycombe. As expected, the food was fairly typical for school lunches provided by a major national provider— fish fingers and chips, a vegetarian option, white bread, peas, basic salad, baked beans, flapjacks, zero-fat yogurt cups, and whole fruits. Nutritionally, there were many opportunities for improvement, but today I was mainly interested in observing how the school managed lunchtimes. What I witnessed was an incredibly well-structured lunchtime routine. There was little time for conversation between the children and the staff at the counter, but the children made their selections (including at least one vegetable or salad) and calmly sat down to eat in their class groups. Midday supervisors were readily available to assist anyone who needed help. There was a long-handled dustpan and brush for the children to use if they spilled any food. Before joining the children for lunch, the headteacher positioned himself between the dining tables and the bins with a stack of used trays. The children all knew that any food being disposed of should not include the vegetables they had chosen. One young boy was walking towards the bin with some cucumber on his tray when he was met with the words, "Ah, are you coming to show me what you're going to eat next?" He sat back down and ate his cucumber with a little smile. This is a school where 33% of the 475 pupils are eligible for free school meals, so every meal matters. The calm and pleasant eating environment I observed was clearly the result of sustained effort and resources from senior management who cared. All of this demonstrates that to improve children's nutrition at school, we need to focus on both the food and the broader eating environment. We have a responsibility to consider more than just the food itself to make the most significant impact. As developing positive food cultures is fundamental to what we do at #RaisingNutrition, seeing what’s being done at Castlefield was a fantastic way to end the week.