As more figures emerge that an increasing number of children are overweight by the time they go to secondary school, efforts to reverse this trend have been stepped up.
Dentists and doctors have, for some time, been raising the issue of high-sugar and fatty food intake, and the effect on the health of young people, but the jury is still out about whether something like a tax on a commodity such as sugar would work. Also, would it make any difference to a generation that has grown up with very little knowledge about healthy diets and that has become accustomed to bad eating habits?
Educating children at an even earlier age about healthy eating is believed to be the answer to stave off this ticking time bomb, while suppliers are well aware higher food standards must be maintained.
In the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) ‘End of Term Report’ on sustainable fish in primary schools, it stated that 17% (one in six) of all state-funded primary schools are now MSC certified compared with 14% the previous year, and 24 new lines were made available, nine of which were salmon based.
Gerry Brown, business development manager at Young’s Seafood, recommends Young’s Simply Fish Kids’ mini fish fillets. “They can choose from salmon or pollock portioned into 60g servings to fit with the latest Food for Life school regulations, or the fish pie mix,” he explains. The fish can be coated or used as part of a pie, or fish and pasta bake; Young’s Omega3 Free From fish fingers are also a great choice for youngsters with allergies, he adds.
Since launching in September, Crown Foods says its fish parcels are in demand for schools. These are filled with salmon and vegetables, and provide protein and omega-3 in “a subtle-tasting parcel that appeals to younger palates”, explains marketing director Trisha Rasor. “They are on trend, and can be cooked in sauce in the oven or microwave, and served with garlic bread.”
Chicken is another important protein and, while chicken nuggets are often criticised for being unhealthy, Riverside Food Services says they are on menus because kids love them. “These products have received negative press following the Jamie Oliver school meal campaign; however, not all coated chicken products are of poor quality,” comments marketing manager Mandy Clinch.
Riverside offers products made using 100% chicken breast, including nuggets and Chicken Pops, 8g balls of chicken in golden breadcrumb, southern-fried, hot ‘n’ spicy and pizza coatings – the latter being particularly popular with kids.
Katrina Ellis, McCain Foods products manager, praises school cooks who stepped up to the challenge of providing nutritional free school meals for Key Stage 1 pupils, despite the pressure it put on resources. However, a year on, she says the most common problem is still limited space and equipment.
McCain has offered a solution in the form of recipes that are cooked and served in one pot. “Using McCain Simply Potato, combined with other vegetables and protein, each One Pot Meal recipe is nutritionally balanced, including vegetarian dishes without cheese as the main source of protein and fish dishes children enjoy,” explains Ellis. She says cooks can meet the requirements of serving oily fish at least once every three weeks with recipes such as tuna and sweetcorn layer gratin.
Mohammed Essa, general manager UK and Ireland at Aviko, highlights the vitamins and minerals that potatoes contain and says that carbohydrates should make up a third of children’s meals, so they get the nutrients they need – and, unlike other veg, children are happy to eat potatoes, he says. “Recent offerings such as our sweet potato fries, and garlic and herb wedges also meet or fall well under Responsibility Deal salt targets,” he adds.
Tilda Foodservice, however, wants more rice on menus. “Burritos are quick, healthy and filling alternatives to conventional lunches found on kids’ menus; they are easy to make, cheap to produce and in demand because Mexican food is on the rise,” explains head of foodservice Mark Lyddy. “It’s important to recognise that the tastes of children have developed, just as ours have as adults.”
Tilda’s latest campaign, Tilda Together, runs until January and will see schools compete for a ‘together day’. Only one primary and one secondary school will win, and their caterers, pupils and parents will be able to join in a fun day of cooking and activities, and learn about healthy eating.
The company says the competition is part of its commitment to bring healthy recipes to the dining hall. It also builds on its research, which shows 90% of parents would like to see more education around health and nutrition in schools from an earlier age, while more than four in five parents would like to see more rice dishes on menus.
Pizza is a top choice made by children, according to Jessica Lalor, brand manager for Kerrymaid, and for caterers looking to upgrade their offering, a fun ‘build your own pizza’ concept with vegetable toppings can add a point of difference while still encouraging the healthy option. “Children will love getting involved in the ordering process and the freedom to design their own meal,” she says. She recommends Kerrymaid Pizza Grate for classic pizzas, and grated white cheese in meals such as pasta, fajitas and jacket potatoes, or pie toppings.
Pizza and spaghetti bolognese are familiar items on menus, yet there is more to Italian cuisine than these dishes, comments Clare Blampied, managing director at Sacla UK. “Operators need to think beyond typical offerings and include interesting, fresh Italian-inspired meals such as tomato and artichoke bake, or simple pesto and pasta,” she says.
Earlier this year, the company turned a primary school dining hall into an opera house. “We wanted to bring an element of fun into mealtimes while educating children about the authentic Italian culture, so we hosted a surprise stunt,” she explains. “Four secret opera singers, disguised as dinner ladies, canteen staff and a policeman, served the unsuspecting children bowls of pesto pasta when they broke into song.”
Dairy produce is another vital ingredient for growing children, and Simon Muschamp, head of marketing at Pritchitts, says that flavoured milk such as Viva bridges the gap between water and fizzy drinks, giving pupils a satisfying soft drink that is naturally nutritious.
“Milk is a fantastic source of calcium, helping bone development, and a healthy, filling snack-drink between meals,” he says. “A study has also revealed that milk is more effective in countering dehydration than a sports drink or water because of the high-quality protein, carbohydrates, calcium and electrolytes it contains.”
Sarah Blackwell, trade marketing manager at Bel UK, claims that up to 12% of 11–18-year-olds are not getting the recommended 800mg of calcium a day. She says the company supports caterers by providing nutritionally rich ingredients such as Laughing Cow cheese spread in individually wrapped portions, which is fortified with vitamin D, and mini Babybel portions of cheese with 98% milk content.
Meanwhile, key varieties from New Forest Ice Cream have been certified as school compliant. “This has already resulted in working directly with the Hampshire Local Education Authority and Surrey Local Education Authority to supply specially designed 100ml tubs in flavours including vanilla, strawberry and toffee,” says director Christina Veal.