My school has in-house catering. Who will help us to calculate the nutrient content of school food provision?
The School Food Trust guide recommends that schools should seek professional support to achieve this. In most cases, nutrient analysis software and the support of an expert (a dietitian or registered nutritionist) will be necessary. There are a number of options for obtaining this support. Schools might choose to purchase it individually or group together with other schools to purchase software and support. Some local authorities or PCTs may be able to provide a support service for schools running their own catering. Schools can use their allocation of the School Lunch Grant to pay for the nutrient analysis software required to assess whether a menu meets the standards, and the expertise required to operate the software. There is more information about the School Lunch Grant here. The Trust has reviewed a number of the menu planning and nutrient analysis software packages available: Independent software review The School Food Trust has produced a Nutritional Analysis Support Package (N
