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The UK’s population is more diverse than ever before, and it’s only right that young people have access to school meals that align with their cultural and religious beliefs and preferences.
Creating an environment where all children feel included, represented and valued partly comes down to food and the range of options available, and caterers need to be sensitive to this when creating menus.
As an example, the popularity of halal meat is on the rise. According to research from the Halal Monitoring Committee UK and the University of Huddersfield, halal is worth approximately 15 per cent of the nation’s overall meat and poultry sector at £1.7bn, and is projected to reach £2bn by 2028. This popularity needs to be reflected in school meals too if all young people are to feel included and adequately catered for.
Preparing meals for different cultures and customs may seem daunting, but caterers and schools can work together to create menus that are not only nutritious, but inclusive.
Collaboration is key
If caterers want to create meals that suit the needs of children from different backgrounds and cultures, they need to understand the people they are providing for.
By working closely with schools, caterers can collaborate with students and parents to get a clear understanding of their needs. Using surveys, focus groups or community discussions are all effective tactics, and allow caterers to hear first hand what it is that different groups require.
Perhaps some children exclude certain foods or food groups such as pork, or their food needs to be prepared in a particular way according to their religious or cultural beliefs, as is the case with those of Islamic faith. Equally, some pupils may wish to see dishes they know and love from their family homes reflected in school menus from time to time.
Each culture has a rich heritage of flavours and recipes to choose from, and caterers that reflect this in their menus will help all students to feel included within the school community. Whether it’s including a wider variety of healthy curries from different cultures, or introducing dishes such as paella, listening to what students want and identify with is key.
A culture of learning
Food culture in schools goes beyond what is served at lunchtime – it also includes what students are taught about in the classroom.
Incorporating diverse cultural perspectives into cooking lessons gives children the chance to learn about different ingredients, flavours and nutrients, as well as the history and tradition behind different dishes. Experimenting and trying new foods opens young people’s horizons, broadens their cultural awareness, and creates an atmosphere of belonging for everyone.
Catering for different religious and cultural needs is easier when experiences are shared and there is an open-minded culture of learning. Incorporating themed weeks or international food days into the curriculum also creates opportunities for students, as well as teachers and catering staff, to share and learn.
Catering for diverse needs means embracing different cultures and promoting inclusivity, and schools can achieve this by bringing everyone together.
Keep it in the community
Another way to cater for diverse cultural and religious needs at school is to embrace community involvement.
Whether it’s working with local, authentic suppliers, or collaborating with local restaurants to create menus that work for everyone, there are lots of ways caterers can get creative.
These members of the community will have a thorough understanding of the ingredients, meals and cooking processes that are most appropriate for a particular religion or culture, and can pass this valuable information onto school catering teams to use in the future.
Schools can even invite suppliers or those from local restaurants in to speak to catering teams and students to help spread this knowledge and understanding further. Knowledge is power, and having an awareness of key recipes, ingredients and cooking processes can help everyone in the school community feel involved.
Final thoughts
Schools have more dietary needs to cater for than ever before, and while this may be challenging, it’s also an exciting opportunity for learning, innovation and sharing.
Getting to know students and their needs is crucial, and with this knowledge caterers can tailor their menus to create nutritious, crowd-pleasing dishes that work for different cultures and religions. Equally, by adopting a culture of learning and working with local suppliers, schools can gain even more insights to help all students feel included and catered for.
Embracing diversity is key, and learning about different experiences of food in different cultures and religions gives schools an exciting opportunity to diversify their menus.
By Stephanie Spratt, founder and CEO of education catering specialist, Olive Dining
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