No abstract

The objectives of the research were to analyze the nutritional goals set for school meals in Finland and evaluate the effect of a snack served at school on the meals’nutritional value and costs. The research was carried out using a computerized menu planning system developed in Finland. Standardized recipes developed for school foodservice made up the basic file for computer assisted menu planning. The menus were to fulfill the nutritional goals of school meals set by the Finnish National Board of Schools. In this research, energy and fat contained in school meals proved out to be a problem when trying to plan a menu in accordance with the set goals. When fat content was limited, in line with instructions, the energy value of the meal fell clearly below the recommendation. The recommended energy value was achieved only when fats were allowed to provide over 39% of total energy, compared to the recommended maximum of 30%. Including a daily snack in the menu increased food costs by 44%. A snack was not necessary to achieve the nutritional goals set for a school meal apart from the energy value. Lack of energy is not a problem in the diet of Finnish children. Nutritionists should evaluate the importance of the energy value of school meals in terms of the wellbeing of children. Research is needed to improve the satiety of school meals without raising their fat content.

In 1976‐1979, an extensive nation‐wide investigation of institutional foodservice and catering was performed in Finland. In connection with this investigation a system for computerized menu planning was developed. The application of the system to the planning of school menus was tested for approximately one year in the city of Kotka in two processing plants which daily prepare 11,000 portions. Compilation of standard recipes, which is necessary in computerized menu planning, lasted about three years. It took four months to compile and code all the basic information for computer runs. The menus were to conform to the nutritional guidelines for school meals set by the Finnish National Board of Schools. Accordingly specific constraints for some quality attributes, as well as checks against repetition were stipulated for foodstuffs and menu items. The computer planned menus were compared with the earlier manually planned menus. The fat content of total energy was somewhat reduced compared with the earlier method. The most significant benefit in computerized menu planning was the savings in food costs. Food cost savings in school lunches were 6‐9% with computer planned menus as compared to manually planned menus.