Food, Nutrition, Beverage & Dietary Requirements Policy

Purpose

The Food, Nutrition, Beverage & Dietary Requirements Policy sets out the standards and procedures that ensure all meals, snacks, and drinks provided by the organisation support the health, wellbeing and cultural diversity of our employees, clients and visitors. The policy promotes balanced nutrition, safe handling of food, and respect for individual dietary needs.

Scope

This policy applies to:

• All onsite cafeterias, catering contracts and vending services.
• Meals and refreshments served at meetings, training sessions and events.
• Food and drink provided to patients, students, residents, or any other service users.
• Employees involved in ordering, preparing, storing, or serving food and beverages.

Definitions

• Nutrition the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.
• Dietary Requirements any specific nutritional, medical, cultural, religious or personal need that influences food selection.
• Allergen any substance that may cause an allergic reaction, including the top 14 allergens recognized by the EU/US regulations.
• Balanced Meal a meal that includes appropriate portions of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats.

Responsibilities

Management

• Ensure the policy is communicated, understood and implemented.
• Allocate resources for training, safe storage, and regular audits.
• Approve any changes to menus or suppliers that could affect nutritional quality.

Catering & Facilities Staff

• Follow approved recipes, portion sizes and labeling requirements.
• Maintain clean, hygienic environments and keep temperature logs.
• Provide clear allergen information for all items.

Employees & Service Users

• Inform the organisation of any documented dietary restrictions or allergies.
• Use the provided nutrition information to make informed choices.
• Report any foodrelated incidents promptly.

Nutrition Guidelines

All food offerings must align with the following evidencebased recommendations:

• At least 50% of daily intake should come from fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
• Lean protein sources (fish, poultry, legumes, lowfat dairy) should provide 1520% of total calories.
• Saturated fat should be limited to less than 10% of total energy.
• Added sugars should not exceed 5% of total calories.
• Sodium intake should be kept below 2,300mg per day for the average adult.
• Provide a minimum of 5% of menu items that are suitable for vegan or vegetarian diets.

Beverage Policy

Selection of drinks must complement the nutrition objectives and include a variety of healthy options.

Allowed Beverages

• Water plain, sparkling, or infused with fruits/herbs.
• Unsweetened teas and coffee (including lowfat milk alternatives).
• 100% fruit and vegetable juices, served in limited portions (max 250ml).
• Lowfat or skimmed dairy milks.
• Plantbased milks without added sugars.

Restricted Beverages

• Sugarsweetened soft drinks and energy drinks.
• Alcoholic beverages, unless part of a licensed event that follows separate guidelines.
• Highcalorie flavored milks or beverages containing added sugars exceeding 5g per 100ml.

Dietary Requirements

The organisation acknowledges a wide range of dietary needs. All requests must be documented and communicated to catering services at least 48hours in advance where possible.

Allergen Management

• All dishes must be clearly labeled with the presence of the 14 major allergens.
• Crosscontamination controls, such as dedicated utensils and preparation areas, must be employed.
• All staff handling food must complete annual allergen awareness training.

Medical Diets

Examples include lowsodium, diabetic, glutenfree, and renal diets. Specific meals will be prepared according to the prescribing clinicians instructions and verified by a qualified dietitian.

Cultural & Religious Diets

Respect for halal, kosher, vegetarian, vegan and other cultural preferences is mandatory. Suppliers must be able to certify compliance with relevant standards.

Personal Preference Diets

When feasible, the organisation provides flexible menu options (e.g., plantbased proteins, lowfat choices) to accommodate personal health goals.

Monitoring, Review & Continuous Improvement

The policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if regulatory changes occur.

• Audits: Quarterly checks of menu compliance, portion control and allergen labeling.
• Surveys: Annual feedback from employees and service users regarding satisfaction and perceived nutritional adequacy.
• Incident Reporting: All foodrelated incidents (allergic reactions, contamination, etc.) must be logged and investigated within 48hours.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Percentage of meals meeting nutritional targets, number of reported incidents, and satisfaction scores.

Findings from audits and surveys will inform adjustments to menus, procurement practices and staff training programmes.