Why pre-ordering meals is important for schools
What are the benefits of pre-ordered school meals?
Reports have found that food wastage costs schools over £250 million each year. Pre-ordering school meals reduces food wastage drastically and associated costs. This innovative software aims to reduce food wastage by providing school meal service providers with exact numbers of meal portions to prepare that day, eliminating the need for over-catering and ensuring children receive the meal they want.
Although school caterers generally have information on the number of pupils they are cooking for, they have no information about the specific numbers for each meal option in most schools. Although they are skilled at estimating how many children will choose each meal, they have no way of knowing the exact numbers, and this lack of information can result in food wastage.
What are the benefits of pre-ordered school meals to students and parents?
With a system that allows pre-ordered school meals, children and parents can choose their preferred meal option meaning not only reduced wastage but better food education, encouragement of healthy food options and increased parental engagement.
According to BUPA, the UK has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in Europe, with 1 in 10 children aged 4 to 5 classified as obese and around 1 in 5 children aged 10 to 11. Pre-ordering meal software allows pupils to be actively involved in planning their meal choice and to take ownership of their diets.
Recent research has focused on how environmental changes and behavioural economics can guide children to make healthier choices to encourage students to select more nutritious foods. Pre-ordering school meals could pre-empt hunger-based, random selections and eliminate the sensory cues evocative smells and sights that lead to less healthy choices.
For a student, getting their meal choice, feeling comfortable with the process, not being rushed, and not having to wait in long queues are critical elements for schools adopting a pre-ordered approach to school meals.
There is also the benefit for children with food allergies and intolerances, as pupils can select a pre-ordered meal according to the necessary specifications.
Pre-ordering school meals also benefit students by reducing queueing at mealtimes. The lunchtime rush becomes a smoother experience with meals already ordered and paid for, as children simply have to collect their chosen meal from the cafeteria.
Reducing student meal queuing times further means a reduced percentage of pupils favouring out-of-the-gate spending, lowering the likelihood of excessive junk food consumption, leading to childhood obesity.
Pre-ordering is essentially pre-empting, and in today's society, using technology to plan ahead is the most efficient way to control an entity such as a school. Technology enables schools to pre-plan, taking the opportunity for human error and unnecessary time spent away and allowing better use of school resources.
Did you know that infinity+ can save you time and streamline your reporting processes?
With scheduled reporting, you can automate report delivery, ensuring the right people get the right information, when they need it—without any hassle.
Effortless scheduled reporting
With infinity+, you can configure the system to:
- Send reports automatically via email to one or multiple recipients.
- Share reports internally and externally—no manual sending required!
- Export reports in multiple formats including PDF, Word, or Excel.
- Customise reports with parameters like date range, supplement type, or tills, etc.
- Create multiple schedules—run reports once, daily, weekly, monthly, set for a specific date or date range.
How can scheduled reporting help you?
Here are a few ways infinity+ can make your school admin easier:
- Finance teams: Automatically send a report on outstanding accounts to help with debt chasing.
- Catering departments: Upload daily sales reports to the catering head office without lifting a finger.
- Attendance: Get an attendance report detailing entrance and exit times for all users.
Comprehensive reporting for all your needs
Infinity+ has over 60 different built-in reports covering
- Users
- Financials
- Retail
- Printing
- Attendance
Start saving time today
With infinity+, reporting doesn’t have to be a chore. Automate, customise, and simplify your reports, leaving you to focus on other admin tasks.
..and best of all, it's free!
This is a free add-on service to your school's licence, if you would like this time-saving feature set up for your school, please contact us and we will get that set up for you.
Can't find the exact report you're looking for? No problem! Let us know, and we can create a custom report tailored to your needs.
The Schools & Academies Show is an exciting event that brings together education professionals, school leaders, and decision-makers across the UK. The show serves as a platform for showcasing innovative solutions, such as cashless catering, and sharing best practices in the education sector.
Amidst the buzz and enthusiasm, ami Education had the pleasure of exhibiting at the event alongside Tucasi, payment and administration software providers.
Infinity+ Cashless and Chip & Pin live demonstrations
At the Schools & Academies Show, ami Education proudly showcased the Infinity+ Cashless catering system, revolutionising cashless processes in UK and international schools.
The live demonstrations highlighted the seamless and efficient point-of-sale experience, impressing attendees. This smart system manages student accounts and processes orders at the point of sale effortlessly, providing a convenient and secure dining experience. Visitors learned about the extensive reporting suite, offering insights from free school meal usage to catering reports and discovered how to harness this data to streamline operations and reduce administrative tasks.
Furthermore, ami Education debuted their highly anticipated Chip & Pin technology, which received a positive response at the event. Popular amongst sixth forms and secondary schools, attendees experienced the contactless solution and appreciated the availability of multiple payment methods. Attendees saw first-hand how ami Education's Chip & Pin terminals optimise the dining experience and empower educational institutions to streamline operations and provide a seamless payment experience.
Our POS software is evolving with features such as Chip & Pin and additional features. But the next big thing we've got to do now is go cloud-based.
- Tony Reeves, General Manager.
Infinity+ Order receives positive engagement with attendees
Alongside the Infinity+ Cashless & Chip & Pin demonstrations, ami Education was excited to showcase its cutting-edge Infinity+ Order pre-order school meal app at the Schools & Academies Show. The demonstrations highlighted how students could seamlessly check balances, browse menus, and conveniently pre-order their meals from their mobile phones.
This revolutionary app transforms how students order their meals, ensuring efficiency and convenience. With Infinity+ Order, pupils have easy access to a wide range of menu options, the ability to pre-order meals in advance, and the flexibility to customise their choices based on dietary requirements or allergies.
The Infinity+ Order app empowers staff to efficiently manage meal preparation and reduce food waste by accurately anticipating meal demand. This topic was very relevant at the show due to the current challenges schools and academies face. The app lets pupils control their dining experience, ensuring they receive their desired meals quickly and conveniently.
Schools are starting to like the pre-order solution, as they can allow pupils to pre-order up to three weeks in advance. Pupils only have to go to the till point and collect their meal.
- Tony Reeves, General Manager.
ami Education's participation in the Schools & Academies Show at the London Excel was met with excitement and enthusiasm.
The Schools & Academies Show served as an excellent platform to showcase our solutions, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to positive change in school catering. ami Education remains dedicated to driving innovation, fostering positive experiences, and propelling the education sector forward.
 | To gain further insights into the exciting world of ami Education, watch our exclusive interview with Tony Reeves, our General Manager. In the interview, Tony delves into ground-breaking innovations, transformative approaches, and the future of cashless solutions in education. This interview provides a deeper understanding of our commitment to advancing education institutions. |
If you couldn't attend the event but still want a demonstration, don't worry! Book a demo with our team today to learn about implementing cashless catering, pre-ordering or Chip & Pin software in your school. Our team are here to provide all the information and support you need.
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