Your canteen menu is likely to be the first form of ‘advertising’ the canteen. Considerations should be given to including a number of core aspects;
- Name of the school
- We see many menus that don’t have the school name listed, an alternative or nice touch is to add in the school logo or crest
- Canteen Supervisor’s name
- This gives the menu a personal touch and makes it easier for parents and staff to reach out
- Canteen contact details
- Include phone number, either direct to the canteen or the school and an email address
- Opening hours and days of operation
- Ordering procedures
- Include the link to the website used and basic information that first-time users of an online system will find beneficial
- Clear and consistent menu pricing
- ensure additions such as sauces are clearly marked
- seperate pricing for small, medium and large serves can be helpful, particularly in secondary schools
- Colour coding
- Use either a key (legend) that explains what green and amber means, for example
- Green: the healthiest choice eats lots of this
- Amber: choose in small amounts only
- or highlight the text in either green or amber
- Use either a key (legend) that explains what green and amber means, for example
- Dietary requirements
- Use a a key (legend) to distinguish items, for example to highlight if an allergen is present in the food e.g. egg, dairy
- Correct spelling and grammar
- ask someone else to edit the menu before distributing to the school community
- Appropriate layout
- e.g. pamphlet style or A4.
For more information see two pages from The Big Book of Menus (Published 2012).
