Frozen Foods are Good for School Dinners

Food Scientists Favour Frozen Food

Research highlights ‘fresh’ food may offer no nutritional benefits

In contrast, scientists pointed out that significant deterioration of ‘fresh’ food in the supply chain can result in it having a lower nutritional value than its frozen food counterparts.On this basis, researchers recommend frozen food can be effective in providing appropriate nutrition for children who consume primary school dinners. They also said frozen food had the advantages of contributing towards reducing food waste, supplying better availability, offering greater convenience and delivering cost savings.

Favourable Results for Frozen Food 

Frozen Foods – Use & Nutritional Acceptability in Primary School Lunch Provision

The paper investigated the nutritional needs of primary children, reviewed the current lunch provision within UK schools, compared the nutritional content of ‘fresh’ and frozen foods, and evaluated what impact using frozen could have in primary school meal provision. Charlotte Harden, researcher at the Centre for Food Innovation at Sheffield Hallam University and author of the report said: “We must disregard the mistaken view that ‘fresh’ food is always better for us than frozen food. Frozen food can be nutritionally comparable or in some cases nutritionally superior. We are not surprised by these results, as our findings correlate with many other recently published reports.”

Lock in the Nutrients

Brian Young, Director-General of the British Frozen Food Federation says...

“Fast and organised methods of harvest-to-freeze have evolved which minmise loss of nutrients. In contrast, ‘fresh' food can spend up to a month in the chain of producers, wholesalers and retailers before they reach customers. During this time we know that product deterioration takes place - to the extent that they can have lower nutritional value than frozen equivalents.”

School Children Deserve Quality 

Beverley Baker, Chairman of the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) says

"LACA welcomes this new report as it supports our long held belief that there is no significant difference in nutritional quality between fresh and frozen food produce. We strongly believe that both have a place in the provision of healthy school meals. From a school catering perspective, a combination of both fresh and frozen food presents advantages in terms of storage and preparation as well as optimum use of cooking facilities.”The Frozen Foods – Use & Nutritional Acceptability in Primary School Lunch Provision report advised care should be taken to ensure frozen food intended for use in primary school meal provision is selected on the basis of the producers and manufacturers use of quality raw ingredients and well organised processing techniques. They also advised that kitchen staff should ensure frozen food is stored correctly, preparation and cooking times are minimised and long periods of hot-holding are avoided.

The report was jointly commissioned by the British Frozen Food Federation and the Local Authority Caterers Association. A downloadable copy of the report and further educational information on frozen foods for the foodservice industry on can be found on BFFF’s website www.bfff.co.uk.