Please CLICK HERE to view Spring / Summer 2012 Menu
Meal Price £1.90
NUTRIENT STANDARDS
Wokingham Borough Council in partnership with Edwards and Ward have previously adapted menus to meet the revised “Food Based Standards, Sept 2006” and also the “Foods served other than lunches standards, Sept 2007”. This has been achieved with relative ease owing to Edwards & Ward’s focus and commitment on healthy eating. From September 2008 the new Nutrient Based Standards will be implemented into all of Wokingham’s Infant, Junior and Primary Schools. Previously we have analysed the menus in addition to following the standards and compared them to the Caroline Walker Trust recommendations. These latter recommendations comprised of fewer nutrients and in many cases different levels to the new standards. This is a challenge owing to the fact that when you increase for example the iron and zinc levels you use foods that are intrinsically higher in fat.
Furthermore, menus that are based on the previous recipes highlight that the energy levels are 33% higher than the new standards; the carbohydrates are 36% higher; the protein content is over 3.5 times the standard and then the majority of the micronutrients are also high. Hence according to the standards the amount of food we have been serving has been too much, therefore it is important to alter recipes to keep children satisfied but not risk giving them too many calories.
Due to the new standards the following areas have been changed:
Making white sauces using cornflour instead of traditional roux method to reduce the
fat content Increased some meat portions to achieve raised iron and zinc levels.
Development of lower fat sausages and provide 2 sausages per portion as advised by
standards to reduce fat content and calories reduced sugar content of puddings and reduced
portions in some cases to meet standards.Balanced protein content of recipes
with low fat versions compared to cheese I hope this gives you some idea of the vast amount and intensity of work the school caterers need to undergo to meet these constrained standards, as well as producing a menu that the children will enjoy. Therefore please be aware that you may see a different balance of foods on the plate on some occasions but please understand that this is solely to meet the new nutrient based standards.
Edwards & Ward Ltd will have the pleasure of providing your child/children with a healthy balanced meal during their stay at School from September 2008.Our menus have been fully analysed by our nutritionist to ensure that your child /children are receiving a balanced healthy meal whilst at school. Our new menu continues to provide fresh vegetables and high meat products sourced from local suppliers. All our dishes are freshly prepared daily in our kitchens. Working in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council we are introducing further salad bars into schools and of those schools that already enjoy these benefits the concept has proven very successful.
Fresh homemade bread and fresh drinking water will be available daily.
Fresh Fruit is offered daily as an alternative to the specified dessert. To ease the method of payment we have introduced a 5 day meal ticket which can be purchased directly from the kitchen. Meal tickets can be purchased in bulk if required. Each ticket represents 5 meals and if your child misses a day they can still use their ticket the following day or week. The tickets do not have to be used on 5 consecutive days. Alternatively your child/children can still pay on the day if you so wish.
Meal Price £1.90 FREE SCHOOL MEALS – ARE YOU ENTITLED? If you currently qualify for any of the below criteria then your child(ren) is eligible for free school meals.
Please contact your school to gain an application form or for more information go to
http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/children-youth-education/school-learning-community/school-leadership/school-meals
• Income Support (IS);
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA);
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; or
• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an
annual income
(as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that as of 6 April 2008 does not
exceed £15,575.
• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit