Portion sizes, preparation and cooking yields, and plate waste in school meals

Available portion sizes for a wide range of menu items were measured in seven junior schools and three senior schools in one local authority area. Serving waste was also measured and used as a criterion of acceptability. Portion sizes for entrees, desserts and potatoes were generally acceptable except for a few unpopular items. Custard was the most acceptable milky sauce. A small range of vegetables was acceptable in small quantities, but excess was rejected while others were almost totally rejected. Peeling, trimming and cooking yields for vegatables, trimming and cooking yields for meat, and plate waste were measured over one year in 180 schools in eight local authority areas. Results for vegetables compared favourably with previously published data except for new potatoes where the yield after machine peeling was lower. Cooking yields for pork, beef and lamb were slightly lower than previously published values. Trimming waste from meat for stewing was substantially greater than the 5 per cent visible fat which is the catering specification for ordering. The mean plate waste was 33 g per child meal (excluding bones).