FOCUS ON: SUPPLIERS Nutrition in Education: Enhancing


Learning Through Healthy Eating RUPERT WEBER, Head of Education at apetito explores the importance of lunch in supporting students’ learning.


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It’s well known that a nutritious lunch is critical to students’ health and wellbeing. The World Health Organisation state schools should prioritise providing healthy food, as it has a positive impact on academic performance [1]. And you only need to spend time with a child who is hungry to see how important it is for them to stay well-fuelled, so they can grow, develop, and learn.


“At apetito, we do the ‘heavy lifting’ for schools. Our range of over 150 premium,


pre-prepared meals and desserts mean there are healthy options that suit every taste and dietary requirement. One of our favourite phrases is ‘eat well, learn well’.


“Our chefs, nutritionists and dietitians ensure all our dishes meet the delicate nutritional requirements for children, so schools can provide pupils with high- quality meals packed full of nutrients that give students the energy they need to focus in lessons. This means that at school kitchen staff simply need to decant, cook and serve.


“With apetito, we’re able to have more control over what we’re serving because we’re the ones planning the menu. This means we have a lot more flexibility and control than we would have with a contract caterer.


“For so many of our children, food is such an important part of their life and by working with apetito, we know able to serve them high- quality, nutritious meals that they really enjoy.”


“Our system is designed not just for ease and quality but also for cost efficiency. Our tried and tested system serves up significant cost savings of up to 20%, that can’t be achieved in traditional kitchens.


Our system typically requires 50% less staff, with no professional chef required. Also benefiting from significant reduction in utility costs, kitchen space and waste. These efficiencies are vital in today’s educational environment where budget constraints are increasingly tight.


“But our service goes one step further. Our dedicated Client Development Managers support schools with menu planning to ensure they are serving the right meals that provide pupils with the fuel they need to learn. These managers assist schools from the initial launch of our service to daily operations, ensuring a seamless transition and addressing any challenges that arise. Helping schools to achieve outstanding quality food and get every child excited for lunchtime is paramount to our offering.”


Transform Your Offering with Ease


To learn more about how apetito can help schools navigate their catering needs with ease and excellence, ensuring every child has access to delicious and nutritious meals every day, please visit https://apetito.link/Education-Today or contact apetito on 01223 634845


[1] WHO. Food and Nutrition Policy for Schools: A Tool for the Development of School Nutrition Programmes in the European Region. WHO Regional Office for Europe; Copenhagen, Denmark: 2006


“Our system also delivers peace of mind for schools when catering for children. Food safety is also a huge benefit with our system. Every single batch of meals we make are fully tested in our on-site laboratories for harmful pathogens, so schools can have total confidence and reassurance in the safety of your school meals.


“Time and time again we see improvements in students’ behaviour, concentration and learning when our nutritious school food, packed with vital nutrients, is introduced. But don’t take it just from us. Headteacher of Ropemakers Academy, Simon Hawthorne has noticed a real impact since partnering with apetito.


“Since we’ve introduced apetito, there has been a significant improvement in the quality of the food we’re serving and this in turn has had a real impact on the children.


“The better the food, the happier we find our pupils are and we’ve noticed a lot more positive behaviour since partnering with apetito. The children eat well and, in turn feel well.


10 www.education-today.co.uk July/August 2024


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