The Use of Organic Foods, Regional, Seasonal and Fresh Food in Public Caterings

The chapter focuses on possibilities to improve the quality of meals in public, especially school catering facilities. It presents the options for diet modifications towards a sustainable use of organic foods, local and seasonal food by optimizing portions of meat and meals prepared of fresh ingredients. From an economic, environmental and nutritional point of view, evaluation and comparison of the original and optimized meals can contribute to a more efficient use of foods and motivate staff in public catering facilities to comprehensive food assessment. An overall evaluation shows that more favourable nutritional parameters may be achieved by the optimization of meals. A greater use of local, seasonal and organic foods, a reduction in meat portions and lower level of processing make energy and greenhouse gas emission savings and it is possible to sustain the costs within standard. The purchase during a season and shortened distribution channels may compensate the higher price of organic foods. The trend of increased use of ready-to-cook foods does not usually lead to a higher nutritional and health quality, lesser burden on the environment and an economic effect. However, it may be assumed that the expansion of knowledge of catering managers of nutritional quality and environmental impacts, with better experience in optimizing meals and with the proper motivation, parame‐ ters of meals in public catering facilities may be combined and thus contribute to the sustainable management in food services.