The British Potato Council (BPC) has produced a Jacket Potato Bar pack to help school caterers push healthier choices at lunchtime.
The pack, which has already received more than 500 requests, is part of an ongoing initiative to promote spuds as part of school meals.
Jacket potatoes are one of the top ten foods that pupils and parents want to see on the lunchtime menu, according to the BPC.
BPC marketing executive Caroline Evans said: "The free Jacket Potato Bar pack has been specifically designed for secondary school caterers and contains a comprehensive guide to help them set up and promote their very own potato bar.
“The guide is full of useful information and advice, as well as cooking tips and twenty one ideas for healthy, tasty and fun fillings that will fit within school meal nutritional guidelines.”
The pack also contains two colourful dining hall posters with key health and taste messages to draw attention to the bar.
Evans added: "By providing guidance on setting up a jacket potato bar we also hope to
encourage more schools to speak to their potato suppliers and make jacket potatoes a regular part of their school menu."
Other industry resources for suppliers to the school meals market are available from the BPC, including a fact sheet on the opportunities to be gained from the government's Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI).
The 'Sustainable Procurement - A Real Opportunity' leaflet sets out the aims of the initiative, as well as providing advice for farmers on how to build public sector contracts.
The Jacket Potato Bar pack is available to download from the BPC website at www.potatoesforcaterers.co.uk. The Sustainable Procurement fact sheet can be found at www.potato.org.uk.
