Guidance for caterers

The advice is designed to help caterers reduce saturated fat, salt and sugar intakes, and improve consumption of some vitamins and minerals.

There are two pieces of guidance aimed at caterers who provide food to:

• adults aged 19 to 74. This includes five example menus, including two specific to a prison setting
• people aged over 75 years in residential care. This updates guidance produced in 2006 and provides a second example menu

Neither of the guidance documents include advice for people with specific medical dietary needs.

The guidance forms part of the Agency's contribution to a wider cross-Government approach to the purchase and provision of food in the public sector, including the Department of Health’s Improving Nutritional Care Action Plan.

In developing the guidance, the FSA has been in contact with a number of organisations, including Government departments and those responsible for catering in care settings, dietetic and medical associations, the prison services and a range of consumer, patient and medical charities.

The principles behind this advice are set out in the FSA nutrient and food based guidelines for UK institutions and are based on Government recommendations. The Caroline Walker Trust report, which can be found below, also informed the development of the guidance.

Both guidance documents are accompanied by a menu analysis prepared by an independent dietitian, which shows how the menus meet the nutrient guidance. These can be found in the 'See also' section.