Breakfast
For caterers that have the time to prepare cooked breakfasts for pupils, handheld solutions like sausages in rolls or bacon sandwiches are a quick and simple option. Breakfast should be treated no differently from lunchtime meals, with quality and nutrition of paramount importance. “Assured pork products, such as bacon and sausages which carry the Red Tractor logo, offer schools, pupils and parents a product they can be confi dent in, having been sourced from an independently audited supply chain,” says Tony Goodger, BPEX foodservice trade sector manager. “In secondary education, caterers can also think about offering a trolley service as an alternative to dining service,” continues Goodger. “This approach is common in the US, with a range of hot handheld breakfast items being made available from a dedicated service point.” Slow release foods like complex carbohydrates are ideal as breakfast items, as they help children maintain their energy levels until lunchtime. The perfect example is porridge, but unfortunately many children will not entertain the idea of eating it, so school cooks need to come up with something equally sustaining. “Many children unfamiliar with porridge will not eat it, as it’s something that’s alien to them,” says Ewuola. “Alternatives like wholewheat bread and low sugar cereals, fruits, yoghurts and granola prove to be really popular.”
DIFFICULTIES
Breakfast clubs can be a challenge if they are not well managed. As with any service, there needs to be a critical mass of numbers to make it viable and in secondary schools traditional breakfast clubs happen before the start of school where many teenagers shun them because they don’t want to get up any earlier to use the service. The mid- morning break breakfast club is becoming more popular in secondary schools for that reason. “Another diffi culty is the proliferation of sugar based products in
Contacts AiP
BPEX Foodservice Eagle Solutions
www.allianceinpartnership.co.uk www.lovepork.co.uk www.eaglessl.co.uk
HGCA
www.hgca.com Magic Breakfast
Premier Foodservice Quorn Foods
www.magicbreakfast.com
www.premierfoodservice.co.uk www.quornfoodservice.co.uk
Weetabix
www.weetabix.co.uk June 2013 53
the psyche of UK children,” says Ewuola. “The items that are good for them are often not popular or even recognised. Sugary cereals and white bread products are what are often promoted as breakfast offerings, but do not help the children with respect to blood sugar and concentration.” In order to provide quality breakfast goods, caterers should focus on a limited range, but change the menu on a regular basis. However, the diffi culty is ensuring there is something to suit every child. “Caterers should provide staple items every day, such as bread, cereal and fruit, as well as a couple of hot options to ensure variety,” says Mark Rigby, executive chef at Premier Foods. A hot breakfast and freshly baked goods will deliver a delicious aroma, tempting students into the canteen to enjoy the most important meal of the day and help to alleviate issues like persistent lateness and absenteeism. “There is a short window of opportunity when serving breakfast, but this doesn’t cause a problem with the supply chain or staffi ng,” says Weller. “We keep our breakfast offering to a few products that are compliant to nutritional standards and serve the same across primary and secondary schools.”
Breakfast is a luxury for many children, but it’s a necessity for all, so
it’s up to school caterers to provide pupils with the perfect start to the day that they so desperately need.
A HEALTHY BREAKFAST
“Caterers should provide staple
items every day, such as bread,
cereal and fruit, as well as a couple of hot options to ensure variety”
“With 32% of children regularly missing breakfast, it’s important to instill healthy breakfast habits in children from a young age to ensure they understand the benefi ts of this meal occasion,” says Karen Levy, marketing executive at HGCA. Registered nutritionist Therese Coleman shares her tips for ensuring children have a healthy breakfast:
• Young children have higher energy requirements and can soon be fi lled by too much fi bre, so it’s best to give them a mixture of white and wholemeal bread
• Check labels on breakfast cereals for salt and sugar content • Add fresh or dried fruit to breakfast cereals to provide sweetness, rather than sugar
• Add a glass of fruit juice, because Vitamin C will help absorb iron from the cereal or bread
• Include dairy products such as milk and yoghurt to provide calcium, which is important for healthy teeth and bones
• Always include a drink to ensure children start the day hydrated
HGCA offer a range of free resources which can help teach children about the importance of breakfast and how their breakfast foods are produced. For further information visit:
www.shakeupyourwakeup.com.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70