This two-day course, designed to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to work effectively within the food service sector, provides a comprehensive introduction to workload planning, menu planning and design, and the nutritional analysis of recipes and menus. It is designed to enhance participants' knowledge, skills, and confidence in applying these principles within their organisations.
Suitable for food service dietitians, dietitians with catering lead responsibilities, dietetic support workers, catering managers, kitchen staff, procurement professionals, and other relevant colleagues, this course explores key aspects of food service delivery within healthcare settings.
The programme focuses on workload planning, menu planning and design, and nutritional analysis of recipes and menus. Participants will also develop an understanding of stakeholder engagement in menu development, writing a Food and Drink Strategy, and preparing a business case for food service dietetic posts.
This course offers a valuable learning opportunity for professionals working across NHS Acute Trusts, NHS Mental Health Trusts, independent and private healthcare organisations, catering contractors, and procurement teams. Through a blend of workshops, lectures, practical exercises, and networking opportunities, participants will gain the knowledge and skills required to support high-quality, compliant, and sustainable food service provision.
Learning Aims
- To provide the knowledge and skills required to plan and analyse recipes and menu
- To highlight the link between clinical dietetics, food service dietetics and catering.
- To support multi professional collaboration both when organisations have a Food Services dietitian, and also training/support when this role is less well defined.
- To provide an opportunity to network with dietitians, catering and procurement colleagues, sharing experiences & learning from others
Learning outcomes
- Understanding the process of menu planning/design including workload planning and practical solutions to overcoming challenges
- To understand the process of nutritional analysis, recipe analysis, and menu capacity analysis to ensure overall adequacy of menus
- Identify the key legislation, regulation and standards that impact food and drink provided within Healthcare and the role required for compliance
- To understand the concept of food sustainability in the NHS including what sustainable systems are and what this means for food sustainability in NHS Catering.
- Understand the principles for writing a business case for a food services dietitian.
- Understanding the process of tendering within catering with participants sharing their experience in the tendering process.
- To understand the reasons for a food & drink strategy, the key factors that we consider when writing one and to have a basic understanding of how to write one.
Upcoming dates
