Premier Foods and The School Food People bring industry together for Education Innovation Day

Premier Foods and The School Food People bring industry together for Education Innovation Day

Over 50 school catering professionals, chefs and industry leaders recently came together for the Premier Foods Foodservice and The School Food People Education Innovation Day at Mission Kitchen in Covent Garden. This was a collaborative event focused on the future of school food, nutrition and practical innovation in the sector.

This event was designed to create meaningful discussion and share actionable ideas, with a combination of expert insight, panel debate and hands-on creativity; offering attendees both inspiration and practical takeaways that they can apply in their own settings.

Balancing priorities in school meals

A key highlight of the day was a presentation from dietitian, Katie Kennedy, who explored the critical role school food plays in supporting children’s nutrition.

Her session reinforced that school meals remain a vital tool in addressing both undernutrition and overnutrition, while providing essential micronutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin D. However, she highlighted that many children are still not meeting recommended micronutrient levels, underlining the importance of nutrient-dense, well-balanced menus.

Katie also emphasised the complexity of children’s diets, noting that what happens outside the school environment continues to impact eating habits. While school food cannot solve everything, it remains a key opportunity to positively influence overall nutrient intake.

A balanced approach to menu development was a recurring theme throughout the presentation. Removing ingredients without careful consideration can reduce access to essential nutrients.
Katie highlighted that nutrition only works if the food is actually eaten. Taste, familiarity and visual appeal all play a vital role in ensuring meals deliver the intended nutritional benefits.

Panel discussion on turning ambition into reality

Alongside the nutritional focus, the panel discussion brought together industry voices to explore the practical realities of delivering change within school food.

While there was clear appetite for evolving the School Food Standards, panellists stressed that any new requirements must be both realistic and properly funded to ensure successful implementation.

Differences between primary and secondary school settings were also a key topic. Attendees discussed how approach, environment and choice vary significantly across age groups, particularly in secondary schools where external influences and wider food options can impact uptake.

Micronutrients remained front of mind, with the panel echoing concerns raised earlier in the day around maintaining nutritional balance and avoiding unintended gaps when updating standards.

On a more operational level, the importance of training, staffing and allergen confidence was strongly emphasised. Delegates highlighted that delivering safe, compliant and high-quality meals relies just as much on skills and resources as it does on policy.

Creativity in action

The day also showcased creativity through the School Dessert Challenge, where attendees worked together to develop their own dessert ideas in a practical, hands-on format.

The Education Innovation Day underlined a shared ambition across the sector to improve school food in ways that are both meaningful and achievable.

Premier Foods and The School Food People will continue that conversation by sharing further resources, including recipes and practical inspiration, designed to help bring the ideas from the day into everyday settings.

One current initiative is the Whip Up A Masterpiece campaign which we’d love school chefs to get involved with.