Sustainable Food Detailed Methodology

Calculating % ‘Fresh’ Dishes

To calculate your %, simply count all the ‘freshly prepared’ dishes on the menu rotation and calculate this as a percentage of the total number of dishes.

The following basic ingredients MAY be used in dishes counted as ‘freshly prepared’:

• Fresh or frozen vegetables, and canned sweet corn, pulses or beans
• Fresh, dried or canned (no syrup) fruit, including tinned tomatoes
• Fresh or frozen meat (which can be pre-diced or minced) and ham
• Fresh or frozen dairy products, including ice cream and yogurt
• Sausages (minimum meat content 60%)
• Cheese (unless highly processed)
• Pasta and rice
• Bread, rolls and wraps with some wholegrain flour content
• Stock cubes or bouillon (free from additives on our ‘undesirable’ list)
• Bread mix, custard powder and gravy mix (free from additives on our ontent
• Stock cubes or bouillon (free from additives on our ‘undesirable list)

The following MAY NOT be included in a dish that is counted as freshly prepared:

• Pre-prepared potatoes (where chlorine-based whitening agents used)
• Reconstituted or pre-cooked meat (except ham)
• Packet mixes, with the exception of additive-free bread mix, custard powder and gravy mix
• Pre-prepared sauces
• Dried egg or milk products
• Jelly cubes and crystals

Local and Organic Food

To comply, caterers will need to be serving certified organic items (or MSC certified items in the case of fish) from at least two of the following categories on the menu each week at any one time:

1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Dairy & eggs
4. Meat
5. Fish (can be counted if it is organically farmed or MSC certified wild fish)
6. Bread
7. Dry goods

These items should be highlighted as organic or MSC on or under the menu, with the caveats ‘subject to availability’ or ‘when in season’. Be clear where an ingredient is organic rather than a whole dish, for instance say ‘Fish pie with organic salmon’ not ‘organic salmon fish pie’. You may need to have more than two organic or MSC items on the menu over the year to allow for supply interruptions when items are not in season. Record any occasions when fewer than two organic or MSC items are served each week due to a supply interruption – this is permitted only if the interruption is shorter than one month.

To comply, we’ll require a list of all ingredients and their suppliers and detail of their location and where those food items are being served. Caterers will need to be serving items produced (or made with ingredients produced) in the region or adjacent county from at least two of the following categories each week at any one time:

1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Dairy
4. Meat (sausages and burgers can be counted if the meat comes from named farms in the region or adjacent county)
5. Fish (fish can be counted if it comes from day boats based in the region or adjacent county)
6. Bread (bread can be counted if it is baked in the region or adjacent county)

These items should be highlighted as ‘local’ or ‘from (the region or county)’ on or under the menu, with the caveats ‘subject to availability’ or ‘when in season’. Be clear where an ingredient is local rather than a whole dish. For example, say ‘Shepherd’s pie with local lamb’ not ‘Local lamb shepherd’s pie’.