Creed launches “Brain Food” school menu

Creed Foodservice, one of the UK's largest independent wholesalers, has teamed up with a renowned nutritionist to launch the UK's first 'Brain Food' school meal plan, following the revelation that two thirds (64%) of parents are concerned about their children's eating habits at school*.

The menu comes after new research from the wholesaler found that an overwhelming majority (96%) of parents would like to see their child's school offer a meal plan with nutrient-rich dishes that support brain function, a view shared by 76% of state secondary school staff.

Creed Foodservice has over 50 years' experience in the education sector and has teamed up with registered dietitian Juliette Kellow to work with Creed's team of development chefs to develop the Brain Food menu aimed at secondary schools.

Only 14% of parents say their child always eats well at school. This represents a significant loss of revenue for state schools, with almost three-quarters (72%) of parents whose children take a packed lunch saying they would encourage their child to buy a school lunch more often if there were more nutritious options on the menu.

Anna Clapson, Insights Manager at Creed Foodservicesaid: “We wanted to understand what those on the frontline – who are with children every day, whether at home or at school – see. And it's clear how closely linked nutrition and learning are: 94% of people who work in a state secondary school agree that students who eat nutritious, filling food and drink before and during school learn better.

“When students do not eat something nutritious and filling before or during school, 83% say concentration is negatively affected, followed by mood and energy levels (77%), behavior (75%), and ability to learn (69%). Not only are classroom-related activities affected, 65% said physical health (such as headaches and stomach aches), exercise (41%), and peer interaction (39%) are also negatively affected. When this happens consistently week after week, the overall impact on learning outcomes is significant.”

Creed's new Brain Food menu includes breakfast and lunch options, as well as a smoothie station. Each recipe is packed with ingredients that play a role in brain function, providing nutrients for all aspects of teen wellbeing, such as energy for sports and supporting cognitive function for music or drama classes.

Breakfast dishes include Mexican omelet taco with black beans, guacamole and salsa, which provides plenty of B vitamins important for mental well-being, and overnight soaked oatmeal with strawberry cheesecake, which is a source of iodine that supports cognitive function.

Lunch dishes include grab-and-go options such as stuffed sweet potato wedges with beef and lentil chilli con carne or Spanish potatoes with spinach, chicken and chorizo ​​(both rich in iron and copper), salmon and broccoli pasta in a light cream cheese sauce that provides DHA, an essential omega-3 fat needed for normal brain function, and a classy pot noodle with chicken and vegetables in a miso broth that provides potassium, copper, B vitamins and vitamin C, all needed for the nervous system, of which the brain is the control centre.

Rob Owen, Chief Business Development Officer at Creed Foodservicewho was involved in creating the menu, said: “Half the battle for schools is not just encouraging children to eat the right things at breakfast and lunch, but getting them to eat a proper meal at all.”

“Our findings show that students' main priority during lunchtime is being with their friends, and 48% of parents told us their child skips breakfast on at least one school day per week. No one can function well if they don't have fuel in them.

“With the rise of street food, the popularity of international cuisines and changing behaviour, students want more innovation in their food choices. Likewise, they prefer eating on the go: a third (33%) of public school students grab a quick snack during their lunch break, while only 20% physically sit down and eat in the canteen.

“The challenge for schools is to balance student desires with budgets and standards. We've done the legwork for them – our Brain Food menu offers dishes in formats that students enjoy eating, that are cost-effective and easy to prepare and serve.”

Juliette Kellow, state-certified nutritionistsaid: “The impact of diet on brain function is enormous, affecting children not only at school but also at home. There are many nutrients – from carbohydrates, DHA (an omega-3 fat) and iron to zinc, iodine and a range of B vitamins – that help the brain function optimally, whether by contributing to cognitive and psychological functions or by supporting the nervous system.

“Creed's new Brain Food menu is fully HFSS compliant. None of the breakfast or main dishes have a red light and so are not classed as 'high' in fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt. Hydration has also been carefully considered as even mild dehydration can affect mental performance, so there is plenty of fruit and vegetables to support this. I'm delighted to be able to work on this menu which is bold and innovative in its approach.”

The Balcarras Trust, a multi-academy trust based in Gloucestershire, is working with Creed to conduct a Brain Food menu test for its cohort of 1,300 students this term.

Ian Cole, Head of Cateringsaid: “We welcome fresh and new ideas on how we can improve our meal offerings for students. Working with a wholesaler like Creed who can pool their resources, knowledge and expertise to conduct research, develop new menus and source products that help create attractive menu options for our students is exactly why we chose to partner with them.”