How should I calculate the nutrient content of an average school lunch?
The regulations state that the average school lunch for a school must be calculated by totalling the amounts of energy and nutrients provided by all school lunches in a menu cycle, and then dividing that total by the estimated number of school lunches served to individual pupils during that menu cycle. To do this, you will need to collect details of all food and drink items provided in your menu cycle (5-20 consecutive school days) together with portion sizes, provision mix of menu items, and calculated number of pupils eating a school lunch. Further details can be found in sections 4 and 5 of the School Food Trust’s guide to introducing the Government’s food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches: Guide to the nutrient-based standards.
