Catering News is sponsored by Two Services
According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Resource [2022], roughly 370 million children worldwide receive a school meal every day. UK figures are set to grow as the government has recently announced that over half a million additional pupils will become eligible for free school meals from September 2026.
Catering for so many young people is a huge responsibility, and with this also comes an ethical responsibility to promote sustainability in the school food system. School catering provides an opportunity to implement sustainable dietary habits on a large scale, helping to produce healthier individuals and a healthier environment on both a local and national level.
The food children eat and the dietary habits they form at school not only impact themselves, but their families, local businesses, and the wider community too. Ensuring the procurement process and food we serve to children is sustainable has countless benefits, and it’s crucial that the school catering industry takes heed of this responsibility.
Reducing carbon emissions
The shorter the supply chain, the fresher the food, meaning it retains more nutritional quality, is less processed, and tastes better.
Sourcing from local producers is also a reliable method to help minimise the environmental impacts of the food system. In simple terms, if the ingredients don’t need to travel as far to get to our plates, carbon emissions will be reduced.
Plant-based foods tend to have lower environmental impact when compared to animal products, with research from the University and Oxford and agricultural research institute, Agroscope, indicating that animal products contribute to around 56 per cent of food greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
According to Viva!, the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity, the carbon footprint of food includes all the greenhouse gases related to the production of that food, including those associated with the growing, farming, processing, storing, cooking and transport.
It’s therefore crucial that school caterers prioritise sourcing locally, while also introducing more plant-based options into school menus. Reduced carbon emissions not only affect the local, micro level of communities, but the wider planet too.
Supporting local businesses
Creating relationships with local food producers, markets, and distribution centres means school caterers can help to support local economies while bolstering local agricultural development.
Sourcing ingredients sustainably in this way means schools, caterers and local businesses can work together not only to produce bespoke menus, but to facilitate wider change. For instance, encouraging local farmers to actively engage with children at school by teaching them about how their food is grown can create more awareness around sustainable food practices, including waste reduction.
Sourcing locally ultimately means children receive fresh, nutritious meals that also support local people.
Awareness and education
School catering companies have a big influence on children’s dietary habits and their attitudes towards food.
Teaching children about seasonal ingredients, plant-based nutrition, natural flavours, where their food comes from, and how it is produced is crucial in forming their dietary habits now and in the future.
Many schools are now introducing lessons on food growing and preparation into the curriculum, helping young people to learn about and understand the sources of the food they eat, as well as why it is so important to eat healthily and sustainably.
Children who are equipped with this knowledge are also more likely to share this with family members or friends, creating a ripple effect of even greater awareness. As such, school caterers who are able to support these learning initiatives will help create communities that prioritise sustainable eating habits, supporting the environment and individual health.
Final thoughts
Sustainable school catering has a large part to play in schools, but also in the wider local community too.
Incorporating sustainability into the school catering system not only reduces carbon emissions, but also provides opportunities for local businesses, while supporting the education of children, and in turn their families.
Our actions in local communities have a significant impact on the health of both our children and the planet, and it’s up to school caterers to take sustainability seriously and make positive, long-lasting changes today.
By Stephanie Spratt, founder and CEO of education catering specialist, Olive Dining
Catering News is sponsored by Two Services
