Catering Guide
These guidelines, produced by the Ministry of Health, support the Ministry of Education s Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines to Support Healthy Eating Environments in New Zealand Early Childhood Education Services and Schools. They also contribute to the Mission-On campaign. The Ministry of Health would like to acknowledge the considerable assistance, support and feedback provided by the Fresh Tastes Team at the New South Wales School Canteen Association and New South Wales Health. The Ministry of Health would also like to acknowledge the work of the Waitemata District Health Board in developing their beverage guidelines and thank them for agreeing to their use in the development of this classification system. Published 2007 for the Ministry of Health by Learning Media Limited, Box 3293, Wellington, New Zealand. All text and photographs copyright Crown 2007, except for the recipe on page 24, which is copyright Auckland Regional Public Health Service, 2006, and the photograph at the lower right on page 7, which is copyright PhotoDisc, Inc. 1993. All rights reserved. Enquiries should be made to the publisher. ISBN (print) 978-0-478-19213-1 ISBN (online) 978-0-478-19214-8 HE 1822
Contents Introduction 2 Role of school canteens 3 Why do we need a system to classify foods and drinks? 3 Food and nutrition guidelines 3 The four food groups 4 Foods that do not fit into the four food groups 5 Vegetarian eating 5 Serving and package size 5 Classifying foods and drinks for school 6 Catering guidelines 7 Food ideas 13 Breakfast ideas 13 Sandwiches, rolls and wraps 14 Snacks 16 Hot foods 17 Combos or special meal deals 18 Vegetarian ideas 18 Recipes 19 Mixed meals 21 Soups 25 Snacks 26 Vegetables and fruit 27 Breads and cereals 28 Meat, fish, poultry and eggs 29 Vegetarian options 30 Developing and modifying recipes 31 Making changes 31 Updating an existing recipe 32 Ingredient checklist 33 Preparation and cooking methods checklist 35 Fats and oils 36 Principles of menu planning 38 Menu planning template 39 Safe food handling practices in the canteen 40 Why is food safety so important? 40 Food Hygiene Regulations 40 Tips for food safety 40 Equipment needs in the kitchen 42 What to include in a catering contract 43 Food choices 43 Food preparation 43 Food availability 43 Food safety 43 Evaluation 43 Understanding labels 44 What to look for on labels 45 Useful resources 47 References 48 Glossary of terms 49 Acknowledgements 50
Introduction Many school communities are already aware of the important links between food, health and learning and are taking steps to improve their food and nutrition environments. Making healthy foods and drinks readily available within the school environment will encourage students to make healthy choices and will significantly contribute to improved nutrition in children and young people. Consuming healthy foods and drinks not only improves students overall health but can also improve their learning and behaviour. Changes to the National Administration Guidelines will mean that, from 1 June 2008, all state and state-integrated schools are required to promote healthy food and nutrition for all students and, where foods and beverages are sold on school premises, to make only healthy options available. The Food and Beverage Classification System is a tool that can be used to identify healthy food and drink options. The Catering Guide: Food and Beverage Classification System for Years 1 13 provides information for canteen managers, caterers and all those involved in preparing healthier food on the school premises. This guide summarises how to identify and prepare healthier foods and drinks commonly consumed by children in the school environment and also provides: an introduction to the Ministry of Health s food and nutrition guidelines for children and young people details on where to go for more information. The accompanying User Guide: Food and Beverage Classification for Years 1 13 covers choosing healthier pre-prepared foods bought in from external suppliers and sold or provided in the school. This Catering Guide and the accompanying User Guide have been developed for use in schools. Separate resources have also been developed specifically for early childhood education services. 2
Role of school canteens The school canteen plays an important role. It enables children and young people to act on the healthy eating messages learned in the classroom by selecting from food and drink choices that are healthy, look and taste good, and are affordable a great way to encourage healthy eating habits. The canteen is one of the best places to role model healthy eating habits. Why do we need a system to classify foods and drinks? The 2002 National Children s Nutrition Survey of schoolchildren 5 14 years old (Ministry of Health 2003) highlighted the importance of the school environment. The survey found that 32 percent of daily energy intake was consumed by the children during school hours (Regan 2007). Approximately half of the schoolchildren surveyed bought some of the food they consumed from the school canteen or tuck shop, with 5 percent of children buying most of their food there. Only 60 percent of the schoolchildren surveyed ate the recommended three or more servings of vegetables, and 40 percent ate the recommended two or more servings of fruit each day. Good nutrition and healthy eating practices in childhood are important in shaping lifelong behaviours as well as affecting overall health and wellbeing. The Catering Guide: Food and Beverage Classification System for Years 1 13 and the accompanying User Guide is the second part of a support package to help schools achieve the aims of the Government s Healthy Eating Healthy Action strategy and Mission-On campaign. Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines to Support Healthy Eating Environments in New Zealand Early Childhood Education Services and Schools (Ministry of Education 2007) and supporting toolkits of fact sheets and resources have already been sent to schools. The Catering Guide is a practical tool to assist schools in implementing the Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids guidelines. Healthy Eating Healthy Action is the Government s overarching strategy to improve nutrition, increase physical activity and reduce obesity. Children and young people are a priority group for this strategy. Mission-On is a high-profile government package of initiatives targeting 0- to 24-year-olds. Its focus is to improve nutrition and physical activity by giving New Zealand s children and young people, and their families, the tools to become healthier so they can lead active and successful lives. Food and nutrition guidelines The Food and Beverage Classification System is based on the Ministry of Health s background papers Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Children Aged 2 12 Years (1997) and Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Adolescents (1998). A range of food and nutrition pamphlets is available to order or download from www.healthed.govt.nz including the Ministry of Health brochures Eating for Healthy Children Aged 2 to 12 (revised 2005; reference code 1302) and Eating for Healthy Teenagers (revised 2006; reference code 1230). Eating for healthy children and young people Eat a variety of foods from the four food groups each day. Eat enough for growth and physical activity. Choose foods low in fat, sugar and salt. Choose snacks well. Drink plenty every day. Avoid alcohol. 3
The four food groups The Ministry of Health s food and nutrition guidelines sort foods into four food groups (vegetables and fruit, breads and cereals, milk and milk products, meat and alternatives) and recommend how much to eat of each food group. Children and young people need a variety of foods from the four food groups every day. The table below summarises information about each food group. FOOD GROUP SERVINGS PER DAY* SERVING EXAMPLES Vegetables and fruit Eat at least 5 servings per day: at least 3 servings of vegetables and at least 2 servings of fruit. 1 medium vegetable (eg, potato, carrot, similar-sized root vegetable, tomato) 1 cup lettuce ½ cup cooked vegetables ½ cup of salad vegetables (eg, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, sprouts) 1 medium-sized piece of fruit (eg, an apple, banana, orange, pear) 2 small apricots or plums ½ cup fresh fruit salad ½ cup stewed or canned fruit 25 g dried fruit (eg, 2 tablespoons raisins or 3 dates) Breads and cereals Eat at least 5 6 servings per day : try to choose wholegrain. 1 slice of bread 1 slice rewena bread 1 medium bread roll 1 cup of plain cooked rice, pasta, noodles ½ cup cooked breakfast cereal 1 cup of breakfast cereal flakes ½ cup muesli Milk and milk products Eat at least 2 3 servings per day: choose low- or reduced-fat options. 250 ml milk 2 slices (40 g) of cheese 150 ml yoghurt or dairy food 150 ml custard Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes Eat at least 1 2 servings per day : choose lean unprocessed meats. ¾ cup of mince or casserole 2 slices cooked lean meat 1 egg 2 chicken drumsticks (110 g) ¾ cup baked beans ¾ cup cooked lentils, chickpeas, split peas 1 medium fillet of fish (100 120 g) ¾ cup kina * Approximately one-third of this amount is consumed during the school day. The greater amount is for older children. S = SOMETIMES O = OCCASIONA 4
FOOD GROUP Vegetables and fruit Breads and cereals Milk and milk products Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes MAIN NUTRIENTS PROVIDED Carbohydrate, fibre, vitamins and some minerals Carbohydrate, fibre, vitamins and some minerals Protein, calcium, fats and some vitamins Protein, fats, iron and zinc Carbohydrate in nuts and legumes Serving and package size Over the years there has been a trend towards serving foods in larger portions. For example, when soft drinks were first introduced, the standard package was 200 ml. The usual pack size now is 600 ml. Check the portion size of foods sold in the canteen or tuck shop. It may be appropriate to reduce the size of some food and drink choices. For recommended serving sizes see the table on page 4. Foods that do not fit into the four food groups Some foods do not fit into the four food groups. These foods include many biscuits, cakes, desserts, potato crisps (chippies), pastries, pies, lollies, chocolate and fizzy drinks. Consumption of most of these foods should be limited because they are high in fat (particularly saturated fat) and/or salt and/or added sugar. Cooking methods such as frying and deep-frying add extra fat to foods. These foods are generally categorised as occasional foods they do not provide essential nutrients our bodies need. They can be included in our diets to add variety but should not displace the healthier foods that our bodies need every day. Vegetarian eating Children can eat a vegetarian diet and remain healthy. There are several different types of vegetarian: Vegans eat no animal products. Lacto-ovo vegetarians include milk, milk products and eggs in their diet but not other animal foods. Semi-vegetarians may eat fish and/or chicken but do not eat red meat. In order to meet a vegetarian s nutritional needs, it is important to offer a wide variety of foods. Including at least one vegetarian choice on the menu is recommended. Healthy vegetarian choices include wholegrain cereals, low-fat milk products, nuts and seeds, dark green vegetables, soy products such as tofu, and pea and bean products such as lentils, hummus, felafels and baked beans. 5
Classifying foods and drinks for school For people involved in selecting foods and drinks for catered meals, tuck shops and canteens, vending machines, sponsorship deals, fundraisers and other special events, the Food and Beverage Classification System identifies the healthy options. Foods and drinks have been classified into the following three categories. Note that lists of foods will be available later in 2007 to assist you in planning everyday and sometimes menu choices. Everyday foods: appropriate for everyday consumption Encourage and promote these foods and drinks in your school. Sometimes foods: for restricted provision Do not let these foods and drinks dominate the choices available, and provide in appropriate serving sizes (see the table on page 4). Occasional foods: should not be provided Limit provision of these foods or drinks to about one occasion per term. The following sections on developing and modifying recipes and preparation and cooking methods will provide ideas on making healthy alternatives to existing menu items. The categories are designed to help schools promote the provision of everyday foods from the four food groups. For details about how occasional foods are categorised, refer to the quick reference tables and the nutrient criteria tables in the accompanying User Guide. 6
Catering guidelines Choosing foods and drinks for students to consume at school is a very important role. Food can affect the learning and health of children and young people. What is purchased, and how it is stored and prepared can make a difference to the end product. It is not always easy to make changes, but small changes are better than no changes at all so start with the changes that are easiest. It may take some time to achieve all the changes that have been identified. These catering guidelines are based on the Food and Beverage Classification System and include ways to produce menu items that are lower in saturated fat, salt and sugar and higher in fibre. There is usually no need to add salt and sugar to food. Use these ideas to make healthy changes to the menu. Recipes for many of the suggestions included here (for example, chilli bean mince or tomatobased sauce) can be found in the Recipes or Food ideas sections. FOODS VEGETABLES AND FRUIT Fruits: fresh frozen canned dried Any fresh fruit in season whole, sliced, cubed, wedges, quarters. Fruit in small sizes or cut into pieces may be more appealing to young children. Offer a variety of different colours. Fruit salad with a mixture of interesting fruits, served cold, is a refreshing menu choice. For added variety top with custard, yoghurt or fromage frais. Fruit canned in juice or light syrup is lower in sugar than fruit in syrup. Set fruit in jelly using disposable cups. Mix dried fruits with unsalted nuts for snacks. FOODS VEGETABLES AND FRUIT Vegetables: fresh frozen canned Potatoes: baked potato or kumara potato wedges Salads green pasta/rice/orzo potato/kumara coleslaw tabouleh couscous Any fresh, canned and frozen vegetables are healthy choices. Add whenever possible to: soups, sandwiches, rolls, toasted sandwiches, pizza, burgers bread cases, lasagne, stuffed potatoes, casseroles, curries. Include a variety of different coloured vegetables. Baked potatoes can be cooked in their skins, split and filled with toppings. Oven bake wedges according to manufacturers directions, serve small portions (no larger than a small pottle) and top with tomato-based sauce rather than sour cream. Do not deep-fry. If cheese is added use a small amount of a grated lower fat choice. Serve as a plate, tub or in a bag. Lean meats, chicken, tuna or reduced-fat cheese add protein and variety. Select the dressing carefully a dressing with no or reduced oil is preferable. Read labels of commercial dressings. Try making your own vinaigrettes or yoghurtbased dressings. 7
FOODS MILK AND MILK ALTERNATIVES Cheeses See Table: Fat content of cheeses (page 34). Parmesan cheese is high in fat but its strong flavour means that small amounts can be used to boost flavour. Sprinkle over savoury dishes or add a little to cheese sauces. Use fat-reduced cheeses in cooking, salads, sandwich/roll fillings, desserts and snacks, for example: replace cheddar in pizza with edam and cottage and ricotta cheeses, reduced-fat sour cream and cream cheese in savoury dishes. Milk Schoolchildren and young people do not need the full-fat varieties of these products. Select reduced- or low-fat versions where possible. Drinks Provide low-fat milk as a drink. Other milk drinks are fruit smoothies, milkshakes or hot chocolate. Sauces Use low-fat milk in white or cheese sauces, macaroni cheese and savoury pies (fish pie). FOODS RICE, PASTA, NOODLES, BREADS AND BREAKFAST CEREALS Rice and noodles: fried rice sushi Breads: Select a variety of breads, preferably wholegrain Plain rice and noodles are low in fat and salt. Fried rice and hot noodle cups can be high in salt and fat. Cook fried rice with small amounts of oil and add vegetables; or serve plain rice or noodles with stir-fried vegetables and/ or chicken, meat or seafood. Soy sauce is very high in salt, so use it in small amounts. Breads can be used for snacks and main meals. Choose a variety to add interest to your menu. Toasted sandwiches with fillings are a tasty alternative to sandwiches, especially in winter. Bread cases can be filled with similar fillings to those in baked potatoes. Toasted fruit bread or muffins are popular snack foods and lower in sugar and fat than cakes or biscuits. Soy milk Make slushies in summer with crushed ice, reduced-fat milk and fruit. Fruit smoothies Use fruit, ice, yoghurt and low-fat milk or calcium-enriched soy milk. Fruit can be fresh, canned or frozen (eg, berries). Follow a recipe to keep the unit cost down. Limit amounts of sugar added to hot chocolate. Use as an alternative to milk if necessary. Choose a calcium-fortified soy milk. Lower fat varieties are available. Making garlic bread gives control over the amount of fat added. Spread with small amounts of margarine, garlic (fresh or commercial) and/or herbs (fresh or dried). 8
FOODS MEAT, FISH, POULTRY AND MEAT ALTERNATIVES Meats and poultry: lean red meat (eg, roast beef) chicken (no skin) Eggs Canned, pouched, fresh and frozen fish and seafood: canned tuna, salmon, sardines and smoked fish fresh or frozen fish and seafood Meats should be purchased lean and any visible fat removed. Recommended serving sizes are 2 slices for younger children and 3 4 slices cooked lean red meat for older children (150 200 g), ¾ 1 cup mince or casserole, 2 3 chicken drumsticks or 1 1½ chicken legs. Lean mince should contain 10% or less fat. Drain any excess fat once heated. Meat and chicken should be cooked without adding extra fat. Lean meats and chicken may be grilled, baked, casseroled, stir-fried or barbecued. Use meats and poultry in sandwiches, rolls (hot or cold), salads, pizza toppings, hamburgers, etc. Chicken should be skinned before eating if roasted or baked and before cooking in a casserole. Serve lean mince in hamburgers, lasagne and spaghetti bolognese and with breads (eg, burritos or tortillas). Cook without adding extra fat. Scramble or poach and serve on a muffin split or English muffin for a good, low-cost breakfast choice. Hard-boil to put in salads or to mash with a little low-fat milk and parsley or chives for sandwiches or rolls. Try a self-crusting quiche or a frittata made with low-fat milk, lower fat cheeses, and vegetables, cooked in muffin trays for single serving sizes. Try to include some fish or seafood on your menu. Choose varieties canned in spring water or brine or try flavoured tuna check labels for salt and fat content. Drain brine off before using to reduce the salt content. Use in sandwiches, rolls (hot or cold), salads or quiche. Fish may be grilled, baked or steamed. Use in dishes such as fish pie, kedgeree, and seafood chowder. 9
FOODS MEAT, FISH, POULTRY AND MEAT ALTERNATIVES Processed fish and seafood products: surimi crumbed fish and seafood Choose low-fat cooking methods, such as oven baking or grilling. Check labels carefully. Serve with vegetables or salad and a bread-based item such as bread roll, burger bun or foccacia. Use small amounts of reduced-fat mayonnaise or tartare sauce (this is a high-fat sauce). If using coconut cream, reduce the amount by diluting with low-fat milk or water or choose a lower fat version. Processed meats: ham salami luncheon bacon These foods are usually high in salt and/or saturated fat. If using these foods, do so in small amounts and serve with a bread-based product, pasta or rice and vegetables or salad. Trim fat off bacon and ham. Sausages, frankfurters and saveloys Check fat and salt content and choose the lower fat and lower salt products. Boil or grill; serve with a bread-based product and vegetables or salad. FOODS Meat alternatives: Serve with pasta, rice, bread or other grains, vegetables and lower fat milk products. Include in vegetarian meat loaves, casseroles, etc. Boil or grill and serve with a bread-based product and vegetables or salad. Use as an alternative source of protein in a stir-fry for a vegetarian meal. MEAT, FISH, POULTRY AND MEAT ALTERNATIVES nutmeat vegetarian sausages tofu Legume products: baked beans felafels lentil patties Baked beans can be used in sandwiches, toasted sandwiches or as a muffin-split topping for a vegetarian option. Baked felafels and/or lentil patties can be used in pita bread sandwiches or rolls served with salads and yoghurtbased sauce and/or relish or chutney. Canned bean mixes and salads can be used for salad choices. Use canned chickpeas to make hummus for pita bread pockets or sandwiches. Add beans to mince to make it go further and reduce the fat content while increasing fibre (eg, chilli bean mince). Use split peas or lentils in winter soups. 10
FOODS MAIN MEAL ITEMS Pasta products: lasagne spaghetti bolognese macaroni cheese Pizza and pizza bread Use tomato-based sauces instead of creamy-based ones. Edam, mozzarella and small amounts of parmesan are lower fat cheese choices. Make meat sauce with lean mince; add vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, courgettes, red or green peppers, carrots or frozen peas. Make a white sauce with margarine, low-fat milk and lower fat cheeses or low-fat milk and cornflour. Approximate serving sizes are ½ cup for primary school children, ¾ 1 cup for secondary school students. Avoid large servings. Make a thin pizza base or use bread as a base (eg, homemade dough, pita bread, ready-made pizza bases). Include plenty of vegetables in the topping. Serve with salad or a salad bag. Muffin splits or English muffins can be topped with spaghetti, pineapple and grated cheese for a quick hot snack. FOODS MAIN MEAL ITEMS Hamburgers Curry Purchase low-fat meat patties or make these. Grill, bake or use spray oil on a non-stick pan or hot plate. Choose a variety of vegetable or fruit fillings and spreads. Use lean meat or chicken. Use low-fat milk or yoghurt instead of cream. Serve with plenty of rice and maybe other side dishes (eg, chapattis, lightly heated poppadams (no added fat), low-fat yoghurt, vegetables, a small amount of pickles or chutneys). 11 Chop suey or chow mein Use lean beef, chicken without skin or canned corn beef with the fat drained off. Add plenty of vegetables, noodles and fresh or preprepared garlic and ginger for extra flavour. Use small amounts of unsaturated oil for stir-frying. Soy sauce is very high in salt so use in small amounts.
FOODS FOODS MAIN MEAL ITEMS SNACKS Fried rice Soups Cook fried rice with small amounts of oil and add vegetables; or serve plain rice or noodles with stir-fried vegetables and/or chicken, meat or seafood. Soy sauce is very high in salt so use it in small amounts. Soups are a great winter food. Either made in the canteen (eg, tomato and alphabet, vegetable) or made from lower salt pre-prepared soup mixes, soups can be sold in cups with a bread roll. Add vegetables (eg, grated carrot, celery, onion). For a thicker soup add split peas, lentils, barley or dried beans. Use low-fat milk in chowders. Muffins Make with oil or margarine and low-fat milk. Note: Margarine needs to contain more than 60% fat (see Fats and oils section). Use mini muffin trays (for primary children) or standard size muffin trays (for older children) rather than large muffin trays. Make fruit-based muffins (with fresh, canned, dried or frozen fruit) or savoury muffins (eg, with onion, spring onion, herbs, lower fat cheese, lean ham, pepper, celery); avoid adding confectionery. 1 Serve without spread. Scones Use low-fat milk. Scones can be fruit- or savoury-based use reduced-fat cheese. TIPS There is usually no need to add salt and sugar to food. Choose low-fat cooking methods. Do not add fat when cooking. Do not deep-fry. Pancakes, pikelets Make with low-fat milk. Cook on a non-stick pan or with a minimum of oil or spray oil. Serve without spread or use just a little. For variety add mashed banana or berries to the batter and serve without spread. Savoury snack foods: rice crackers popcorn crackers and cheese Choose plain varieties and serve with yeast extract and a slice of cheese or other toppings. Make with popping corn and add home-made flavourings. If using pre-prepared popcorn, follow the manufacturers directions but avoid adding extra fat and salt. Offer cheese slices and crackers as a combo, using lower fat cheeses, crackers spread thinly with yeast extract or tomato chutney for added flavour. 12 1 The term confectionery refers to a range of sugar-based products including lollies, candy, chocolate, jellies and fudge.