Talking about the government’s Free School Meals Plan with to Tom Sensier, MD at TM Electronics, the UK temperature testing experts.
What is the Free School Meals plan?
From September 2014 the government is introducing a new piece of legislation, the Free School Meals plan, which guarantees free school meals to all reception, year 1 & 2 children in all English state-funded schools (including academies and free schools)
What impact does this have on schools?
Schools chefs and caterers are under a great deal of pressure to upgrade their catering facilities to comply with this plan. Many chefs previously just providing a limited number of hot lunches across the entire school will now need to deliver hot meals for up to 350 children each day – and all within the school lunch hour. This is a huge jump, and for a lot of schools it means building kitchens from scratch, renting ‘pop-up’ kitchens, increasing their dependence on contract caterers, or hugely expanding their existing facilities.
The government is providing £150 million of capital funding to help schools implement the plan, but what other help is out there?
The upcoming LACA Conference, at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, on the 9th-11th July, will focus on supporting school chefs to expand their school meals provision. There will be a Free School Meals Advice Centre, workshops, and opportunities for schools to meet with industry experts like TME. We will be on Stand K21 with our full school catering range, ready to give advice and provide demonstrations.
How high is the quality of food that schools are expected to produce?
Currently in development along with the School Meals plan, are new School Food Standards, which will come into effect in January 2015. These standards lay out clear guidelines on the nutrition requirements for school meals, with a reduction in foods high in fat and sugar and an increase in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.
What’s all this got to do with temperature?
Temperature measurement is a vital way of maintaining food quality, and more importantly, food safety. The only way to be sure that food is safe to eat is by carrying out accurate temperature tests, and for that, school chefs need accurate, high-quality thermometers and food probes.
Why should School Chefs come to TME for temperature testing equipment?
Here at TME, we have been using our expertise in temperature measurement to create innovative and accurate thermometers and probes for over 20 years. We only produce high quality, cost-effective equipment, and our new range of special offers, specifically aimed at UK schools adopting the Free School Meals plan is designed to support school chefs with affordable equipment they can trust.
What are the options?
The School Meals Temp Kit has everything a school chef needs to check temperatures in a small to medium kitchen. An all-inclusive kit including the best-selling MM2000 thermometer – a high accuracy, IP67 waterproof thermometer – a dishwasher-safe needle probe for checking all food items, and a hygienic stainless-steel wall mount holder. Offer Price £100 (list price £125).
The School Meals SOLO with fold-away needle probe is perfect for spot checks on the move or in small pop-up kitchens. A portable, highly accurate budget thermometer with easy button-free operation, face-on display, and splash-proof casing. Temperature symbols indicate cooked/chilled/frozen zones, and the adjustable colour band designates different food groups. Offer Price £36 (list price £45).
Both options are HACCP compliant, and come with our unique ThermaSprint technology, giving an incredible 3-second response time.
Is there any other help from TME beyond the September start-up period?
WE know that schools need careful control of their budgets in the medium and long term and cannot afford to keep replacing vital equipment like food thermometers. We also have absolute confidence in the accuracy and durability of our equipment. That’s why we offer the unique Thermometer for Life pledge – a life time guarantee (on top of the normal 2 year warranty), to repair/replace any MM2000 thermometer damaged by the customer – for no more than £35.
To see the TME catering range visit www.tmelectronics.co.uk
Or for free advice, speak to a member of our friendly sales team on 01903 700651 email sales@tmelectronics.co.uk