Outsourcing School Lunches: Making school

Making school lunch the healthy highlight of the day

Any school considering outsourcing school lunches must take into account the same considerations as students’ parents and caregivers in deciding on the most appropriate options, most especially with regard to the three key factors of nutritional value, cost and convenience.

Yet, these three factors can often conflict; cheap and convenient foods – those epitomised by unhealthy ‘take-aways’ – are often of low nutritional value. While common-sense dictates how adults balance cost vs convenience vs nutrition, the food options presented to growing children (the primary concern for both schools and students’ whanau) should be carefully considered, diverse and clearly labelled.

In other words, any food provided to children as an outsourced lunch option must, first and foremost, be varied and honest. The phrase ‘no hidden nasties’ comes to mind: children, parents and young people need to be able to make educated decisions about what to eat, with plenty of nutritious and healthy options available to outsource. Only then can the balance of cost and convenience be calculated so that informed choices can be made about what foods children are off ered at lunchtime. in more specific detail how these (and other factors) impact on what is provided for students at lunchtime, and how.

Nutrition

It goes without saying that optimal nutrition is essential during childhood and adolescence, when students are experiencing periods of rapid growth – not just physically, but also emotionally, socially and cognitively. And the foods that children consume during their formative years have a vital impact on this growth – and on their health in general. Indeed, it is increasingly recognised that the eating habits and behaviours that emerge at this stage of a young person’s life persist into adulthood; establishing healthy eating attitudes and patterns, therefore, can make a lifelong contribution to overall health and well-being.

To resassure and inform parents, it is worth schools checking off icial health recommendations for children and young people (for example, the advice available on the HealthEd website https:// www.healthed.govt.nz/home) and providing their own guidance for parents and caregivers (say, as part of the information on school lunch options, including outsourced ones).

Reputable suppliers of outsourced school lunches will provide full details of the nutritional value of their lunch options.

Similalrly, responsible lunch providers should provide parents and whanau information on how their lunch off erings reflect off icial nutritional advice – for instance, which of the four major food groups their products ‘tick off ’.

Of course, children being children, many of their favourite foods – those most promoted by food advertising – may be high in sugar, salt and/or fat, and the healthiest drink option, water, may not always be the one chosen by children.

However, even here children can be nudged towards choosing healthy options from an outsourcing supplier, especially if the healthier choices are packaged and delivered in exciting ways. Plus, encouraging children to choose healthier options for themselves, rather than having them imposed upon them, gives the responsibility to the students themselves – and, hopefully, inculcates lasting healthy decision-making.

Cost

Healthy food options (especially for fresh products with a limited ‘shelf life’) tend to be more expensive than less healthy options with mass-produced or processed ingredients, and this applies to outsourced school lunches as well as to homesourced or school-sourced meals.

However, other cost considerations need to be taken into account, and these may vary widely between schools and between students’ families/ whanau.

For schools, the cost benefits of outsourced school lunches will depend on existing facilities – for example, whether the school already has a dedicated tuckshop or canteen, and whether or not lunches are prepared in-school. Outsourced school lunches that can ‘piggyback’ on existing facilities – e.g., can be distributed via a tuckshop or canteen – will be less costly than implementing new systems.

For parents, outsourced school lunches may cost more than likefor-like meals prepared at home. At the same time, outsourced lunches can provide a greater range of food options, especially when it comes to fresh ingredients and variety.

Convenience

Even with the best will in the world, busy parents may not have time to provide the best lunch option for their children every day of the week. And it is in terms of convenience that outsourced school lunches have a clear advantage, with the time-costs of food purchase and preparation borne by the supplier rather than the parents/caregivers.

Increasingly, online pre-ordering of lunches adds to the convenience value of outsourced lunches, as well as enabling parents/ caregivers to monitor the types of food their children are off ered. Some companies even off er preordering by SMS text messaging.

For schools, the use of online or SMS pre-ordering and payment by parents/caregivers removes the logistical issue of taking orders and cash-handling, freeing up administrative staff for other duties.

Hassle-free school lunches, the Subway way

The opportunity to ‘Eat Fresh’ is but one of the many tasty advantages of the Subway School Lunch Programme, according to students and staff at a Dunedin school participating in the nationwide scheme.

Sue Lowden, off ice manager at the South Island city’s Balmacewen Intermediate School, says their once-a-week “Subway Day” is both hassle-free for the school’s administration and a much-anticipated “treat” for students.

She particularly appreciates that Subway “do all the work for us”.

“It’s super easy. Subway provide a step by step guide for ordering, and orders are placed by the parent online” Sue explains. “We only need to disperse the orders when they arrive on a Thursday, no money handling occurs for us, each order is clearly labelled – and Subway are always on time.”

As for the children eagerly awaiting their lunches: “Our students love the option. It is a weekly treat enjoyed by a growing number of students – and parents love having a break from the mundane job of making school lunches.”

The Subway school lunch consists of a smaller-sized mini sub or six inch sub, filled with fresh vegetables and lean protein on freshly baked bread, as well as a water and a ‘99% Fruit Crush’.

Subway Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Ben Miles says, “Our goal was to make a nutritious meal that was easy for schools, one that kids would love to eat, and something parents can feel good about. With a kid-appropriate portion size and fresh veggies that contribute to their daily “two fruit and five veggies”, it’s been really well received by lots of schools and parents across New Zealand.”

According to Heart Foundation Fuelled4Life Programme Manager Sarah Goonan, a nutritious lunch “is important for growing children because it improves concentration and provides the nutrients they need for growth and development”.

“A healthy sandwich includes plenty of colourful vegetables, wheat bread and a lean source of protein. The Heart Foundation supports all schools to be water-only, so it’s fantastic to see plain water as part of Subway’s School Lunch Programme,” she says. Ensuring that Balmacewen students get their lunches delivered on time and “all present and correct” is the job of Subway Kaikorai Valley and North Dunedin franchisee Trudy Quirk, who has been running the Subway School Lunch Programme with local schools for the past five years.

“Currently my restaurant has four primary schools, one holiday programme and one intermediate school on our books,” she says. “It has been well received and the feedback from parents and admin teams at the schools has been fantastic.”

The change to an online ordering system in early 2017 has also made the process so much easier for both parents and schools, Trudy says.

“The online option was well received by the school as it eliminated the morning cash envelope drop-off and co-ordination of orders, and it allows parents to payonline – a huge advantage in today’s world.”

Sue Lowden agrees that online ordering makes the process much smoother for all concerned. “Parents pay online so we do not need to handle any payments for orders. It also supports our local community’s businesses.”

Moreover, having a once-a-week Subway Day adds variety to the children’s lunch times, Sue says. “As we do not have a school canteen this provides the opportunity for our students to mix up their lunch menu once a week. We love having the option of Subway and can rest easy knowing it’s a nutritious lunch which will give kids the fuel they need to get through the afternoon.”

An extra ingredient that makes Subway Day even more special for students at Balmacewan Intermediate is the chance to win a free meal for them and their friends, Trudy says.

“A lot of franchisees have fun with their local schools with the programme. At my restaurant, we off er a ‘principal’s lunch shout’. With every student who orders a lunch, their names go in a monthly draw and if they win, they get to choose three friends to have lunch with the principal – and Subway shout the lunch. It’s our little way to give back and have fun,” Trudy explains.

The lunches can be tailored to a school’s individual requirements with the school having the choice of how often they’d like Subway Days, and which items to include from the menu.

“The Subway School Lunch Programme provides an alternative lunch source which is healthy, great value for money, varied and hassle-free,” Sue says.

For details about the Subway School Lunch Programme, email schoollunchesnz@ subway.com and your local restaurant manager will contact you to discuss your school’s needs.

Champion Tuckshops – Feeding the Future

Picture this scenario: 1 School – 900 hungry teenagers – all under the age of 18. It’s 12:30pm and the bell just rang. You are standing behind the counter and a 1m by 1m hole in a wall, in an apron, a hair net and holding on to nothing but a set of tongs, and the aspirations of surviving the next 30 minutes. Now brace for impact as the first hungry customers come running towards you like they were competing at the Olympics!

Welcome to the Champion Tuckshops reality. You may not have heard the name, but Champion Tuckshops has been an unsung hero in New Zealand schools for over a decade. The trusted brand under the Libelle Group umbrella has been an innovative driver in shaping modern school food retail and has been feeding hungry learners all over the Country.

Founder of award-winning Libelle Group and Champion Tuckshops, Johannes Tietze, is the leading charge in the mission of delivering a full nutritional payload, a good lunch, at an aff ordable price. “I wanted to beat the myth that you can’t get good food at a good price.” Coming from a catering background this forward-thinking chef is setting national benchmarks that parents can now trust. “The right, nutritional food is crucial during the school day and we make it our responsibility to feed these kids with food that will support their learning – and that’s what they are at school to do”.

Unfortunately, there is a perception amongst parents and caregivers in New Zealand even today, that tuckshops just serve unhealthy food. While this may have been true decades ago, legislation, school policy changes and the rise of cooking shows and celebrity chefs have changed the landscape and what is expected significantly.

This has been a huge step in the right direction, but not enough to improve our position internationally, where we ranked 3rd most obese country in the World in 2017.

“Inappropriate nutrition can lead to childhood obesity, which regretfully, in New Zealand is still increasing at an alarming rate” Tietze said, “At Champion Tuckshops, we have made the commitment to not only bringing the highest quality, best nutritional value to the table – we also do it at aff ordable price”.

In 2017, Campion Tuckshops trialled TXT my LUNCH, an online ordering / pre-purchase system and is rolling it out Nation-wide for the start of the 2018 school year.

TXT my LUNCH, at first glance, seems to be a ploy to persuade parents not make lunches at home for their kids anymore… and, as a matter of fact, it actually is not too far from the truth.

Parents and caregivers can now go online and use TXT my LUNCH to buy a $6 lunch for their children, rather than send them to school with a soggy sandwich or cash. The hungry learner will receive what is called a ‘meal ticket’ on their phone and redeem it at any Champion Tuckshop for a full, nutritional combo meal.

“How much is a minute worth to a mum having to run 2 kids to school in the morning?” asks Tietze, “this new system will save busy parents the time it takes to make that lunch every day.” “That $6.00 virtual ticket can only be redeemed for a good lunch – not at the dairy for a 1.5 litre fizzy drink, lollies, cigarettes or other substances that may be available on the way to school. Money that is designated to your son or daughter’s nutrition, is guaranteed to deliver exactly that”.

TXT my LUNCH also gives the user an option to donate a lunch, where the $6 meal ticket is sent to a student deserving a free lunch anywhere in New Zealand.

In the short time since its launch, it has proven to be successful with parents, principals and pupils, all giving extremely positive feedback.

In 2018, Champion Tuckshops around New Zealand will be serving more than 50,000 hungry learners healthy lunches daily and in doing so, help fix those damning obesity statistics.

For more information on Champion Tuckshops and Libelle Group Ltd see libelle.co.nz or if you would like to learn more or donate a lunch, head to txtmylunch.co.nz.