Creed Foodservice hosts roundtable for education sector

The wholesaler hosted a ‘Brain Food’ roundtable this week, gathering key figures from within the education sector to discuss the impact of nutrition on learning

The event was part of Creed’s year-long campaign which shines a light on how nutrition impacts learning in schools; a campaign which saw the wholesaler, with more than 50 years’ experience working within the education sector, break new ground with the launch of the UK’s first ever ‘Brain Food’ school menu in September this year.

Recent research commissioned by Creed revealed two thirds (64%) of parents worry about their child’s eating habits at school* and an overwhelming majority (96%) would welcome their child’s school offering a menu that provides dishes rich in nutrients that support brain function, a sentiment shared by 76% of those who work in schools. Furthermore, 94% of those who work in schools agree that pupils that consume nutritious and filling food and drink before and during school learn better.

The roundtable was chaired by Miles Roberts, managing director at Creed, and supported by Creed’s experts Anna Clapson, insights manager and Rob Owen, executive business development chef, who were joined by Juliette Kellow, registered dietitian, who Creed partnered with to help co-create the Brain Food menu. There were 12 attendees in total, with representatives working across both state and independent schools.

Roberts said: “We’ve worked within the education sector for five decades, and understand the challenges schools face when it comes to getting their catering offering right. Providing nutritious food is paramount, but it’s how you combine that with budgets, quality and providing food that children actually want to eat. Our role is to support schools and give them the tools to offer pupils dishes that will nourish and interest them, as well as support their overall health and wellbeing.”

“It was a brilliantly insightful session. It’s important that we connect with what is actually being seen on the frontline in schools and provide our customers with menus, ideas and solutions that will actually work for both the pupils and the catering teams. We had our first education customer – Oundle School – launch the Brain Food menu last week, which was received well.”

Kellow commented: “It was fascinating to be part of the roundtable and discuss this important topic. The impact of nutrition on brain function is huge, affecting children not only at school, but at home too. There are many nutrients – from carbohydrates, DHA (an omega-3 fat) and iron to zinc, iodine and a range of B vitamins – that help to keep the brain working at its best, whether that’s through contributing to cognitive and psychological function or supporting the nervous system. I’m pleased to have been able to work on Creed’s new Brain Food menu, which is not only all HFSS compliant, it’s also bold and innovative in its approach.”

Key takeaways from the roundtable

The importance of feedback and engagement with pupils and parents

• Engaging pupils with the school menu and hosting feedback sessions with them, such as food forums, where they can taste test new meal ideas before putting them on the menu, is key.
• The health credentials of dishes are increasingly becoming important to pupils, particularly those who play a lot of sport and welcome high-protein dishes to their diet.
• Customisation is a big win across the board, with ‘bar’ style offerings, such as salad bars, noodle bars or pasta bars, where pupils can build their own dishes and add various toppings, prove very popular, and help to increase their awareness of what they are eating.

Combining culture and the kitchen

• Social media plays an influence in pupils’ food choices, and schools have seen success by weaving this into their menus; such as the ‘TikTok Wrap’, which went viral, where a tortilla wrap is cut to the middle and each quarter filled with a different filling, before folding into a quesadilla shape. This was instantly recognised by pupils and sold out quickly in comparison to other regular wraps.
• Taking inspiration from well-known high-street outlets, such as Nando’s and Wagamama, that pupils instantly recognise, and replicating similar dishes brings familiarity to the menu and works well.
• Sustainability, particularly amongst older secondary school children, is playing a role in purchasing decisions. Pupils welcome products that have sustainability credentials and calling these out on the product packaging or branding, is something schools encourage.

The challenges schools face

• The time limit on school lunch periods, which often see 500+ children go through the dining areas in 30 minutes, results in them making quick purchasing decisions. This makes education on food choices difficult, as the priority is focused on getting everybody served.
• In independent schools, which often have large cohorts of international pupils, consideration needs to be given to how multinational cuisine, that appeals to a breadth of tastes, can be offered on the menu.
• Catering for allergens is becoming ever-more prevalent. Allergen-free sauces and toppings, which can be easily used and offered to pupils, without worry, is often the deciding factor for schools when they are purchasing products.

Pupils’ eating habits

• Creed’s research revealed that nearly half of parents (48%) say their child skips breakfast at least one school day every week, with 14% saying their child skips breakfast every school day. This is leading to breaktime food sales often being on par with lunchtime; and, in some cases, outperforming lunch. In light of this, many schools are now offering the same food provision at both break and lunchtime.
• Pupils’ main priority at lunchtime is socialising with their friends, resulting in a growing number of pupils favouring eating on-the-go, as opposed to physically sitting down and eating a meal in the canteen area.

*The research was conducted by 3GEM Research and Insights on behalf of Creed Foodservice, July 2024. People who work in schools, sample size 350. Parents of secondary school children, sample size 500.

Creed Foodservice education nutrition roundtable schools