In June 2014, new healthy eating standards for schools and academies offering cooked meals to their students were introduced by the coalition government. The children are our future; and it is important to ensure that they are being offered healthy, nutritious meals.
Whether you work for a school needing to replace existing kitchen equipment or for an academy aiming to offer students healthy, balanced meals, it’s imperative you invest in the right equipment.
First, let’s examine the most common scenario for educational establishments. Healthy food needs to be produced in large quantities. All meals are distributed within a short window of time – a couple of hours’ maximum. More and more schools are preparing everything in-house, and no longer outsourcing their school meals programmes.
Whether you have fifty mouths to feed or thousands, you need to ensure that the equipment you are buying is as efficient as possible. This is especially important whilst taking into consideration oven sizes, refrigeration capacity, the availability of storage, etc. Additionally, food preparation needs to be considered. For example, how many potatoes does your machine need to peel in an hour to ensure the dish is ready in time for lunch?
Secondly, let’s review the Healthy Eating Standards themselves. Schools and academies who offer cooked meals must source high quality meats, poultry or fish. They also must serve 3 different fruit and vegetables per week. Additionally, they cannot serve more than 2 portions of deep fried, battered or breaded portions within a week. Therefore, a varied menu is on the table!
All this food and the equipment to prepare, cook and store it can be expensive. With schools’ budgets tightening, your school or academy may not be able to afford the equipment that best suits your needs.
Most catering managers are not aware of this, but the kitchen equipment itself can be financed. Whether you are state-funded, private or higher education, WestWon can offer a finance solution to fit. Through our sister company edde Limited, we have funded thousands of iPads for the education sector. Catering equipment is no different. We are certain we can help.
Schools receive preferential rates. All leases to the education sector are fully compliant. If you are looking for a supplier of equipment, we can help point you in the right direction. WestWon work alongside reputable catering companies helping you find the right equipment at competitive prices, including all maintenance packages.
What is the cost to give your students the healthy, balanced meals they deserve? Call us now to speak with one of our catering equipment specialists on 01494 611 456 or email hello@westwon.co.uk
Written by George Shillingford.
