Research/Insight

The chairs of ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives’ and ‘The Early Years: Foundations for life, health and learning’ respectively will top the bill of speakers at the UK’s first children’s food conference, launched by the Children’s Food Trust with the School Food Trust.

Nurseries, childminders and other providers of early years services now have extra support on providing healthy meals for young children, and to help reduce obesity in under-fives, thanks to new national, voluntary guidelines just launched. For the first time, childcare providers have a nationally recognised source of information about the food they should offer young children, portion sizes, sample menus and recipes, advice on tackling fussy eating and involving children in food and cooking activities.

Starting in January with the consumer announcement of the anniversary, the campaign will build through the year with direct support for the industry through a series of activities designed to highligh

A major new survey by the UK’s leading independent contract catering group, Westbury Street Holdings (WSH), owner of contract caterer BaxterStorey and state schools caterer Caterlink, reveals that the recession is having a significant impact on people’s food choices and attitudes. Alarmingly almost a quarter of surveyed parents of schoolchildren have said that the impact of the recession has reduced their ability to make healthy eating choices for their children.

Writing a captivating job advert is therefore essential. Here are five tips to help you do just that: *Use a relevant and good title.

Make some notes on each CV according to the following: *Length of service and stability – have they had multiple jobs in a short space of time? Are there any unexplained gaps in the CV?

Here are five tips for restaurants to get the most out of social media: Get started. If you don't have accounts set them up. For Facebook add all relevant information and include photos.

The guide is full of advice for how businesses can prepare for, and make the most of, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) believes that 40% of primary school children’s lunchboxes do not contain any fruit or vegetables, compared to 10% of school meals. “This is a missed opportunity for children’s health,” says Kate Mendoza, head of education at WCRF, adding that packed lunches are not sufficiently healthy. She wants similar changes to be made to packed lunches as those encouraged by TV chef Jamie Oliver for school meals.

With all the changes and challenges facing local authority caterers, it’s useful to take stock of where the service is at and where it’s going. And our market survey sets out to do just that. Our on-line poll received responses from 156 catering managers in councils across the UK, who were asked about issues facing them and expectations for the future.