The Children’s Food Trust has been closely involved with the development of the new school food standards just announced by the Department for Education, and has produced an easy to follow outline to the new standards (see below).
Children’s Food Trust Head of Nutrition Dr Patricia Mucavele commented: “We support all steps that help more children eat better and therefore do better, so we were pleased to be involved in the development and testing of these new standards.
“The new standards are based on recommendations made by the School Food Plan Standards Expert Panel which commissioned the Children’s Food Trust to pilot test them.
Variety is key
“They follow general public health eating guidance, encouraging schools to provide a wide range of foods across the week. Variety is key – for example the standards include the need to provide at least three different fruits and three different vegetables each week, and one or more wholegrain varieties of starchy food such as wholegrain bread and pasta. Offering a wider range of different foods provides a better balance of nutrients.
“The standards continue to restrict foods high in fat, sugar and salt, and the supporting practical guidance gives more advice about portion sizes and how to choose foods lower in fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt as well as how to interpret food labels.”
Easier and more intuitive for caterers and cooks
“We tested the new standards with the people who would be using them – school caterers and cooks. They told us the new standards were easier and more intuitive to use to plan interesting and creative menus, which has got to be great news for children and school food.
“These new standards will be mandatory from January and will apply to all new academies and free schools, which is a step in the right direction. We’re now looking forward to seeing all schools in England using them, helping to ensure every child benefits.”
Children’s Food Trust guidance
The Children’s Food Trust has produced an easy to follow outline to the new standards: see guide to changes.
For school caterers and cooks there are also simple checklists: