Surrey Uses Hi-Tech Service To Meet Toughest School Meal Rules

Pupils across Surrey are tucking into lunches that already meet the toughest of the Government’s school meal standards, after the introduction of a hi-tech system that analyses the nutritional content of menus.

While the first tranche of the Government’s standards setting food-based specifications come into force this month, the Council has invested in the Saffron Nutrition software programme to ensure that meals served in primary schools also meet the stricter 14 nutrient standards which come into force in two years’ time.

Each of the 250,000 meals served weekly across the 400 schools in Surrey are being analysed by inputting the recipes into the system, which is also available as an online service for individual schools. The meals are then benchmarked against the target dietary requirements for specified nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate and folic acid, allowing menu adjustments to be made quickly and easily.

Chris Hillier from Surrey County Council said: “Without using the technology, it would have been an extremely complex process because each school will need to know where its menu is meeting the 14 nutrient standards. The system works well for us as we can rate both individual recipes as well as standard menu items, and we’re already meeting the 2008 standards in our primary schools.

“Importantly, the system gives schools and parents the confidence that pupils across the county are receiving nutritionally balanced, healthy school meals that meet the strictest of the Government’s standards well ahead of the deadline.”

Andrew Markwell, business development manager for Fretwell-Downing Hospitality, manufacturer of the software commented: “School meal providers are facing a real challenge in meeting the nutrient standards, which will virtually require them to be trained nutritionists to fathom out how to balance the meals they serve pupils. This is where technology can help simplify the whole process.”

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