School Catering Croydon

At AiP, our top chefs and expert nutritionists collaborate to enhance pupils well-being with balanced, flavourful dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. We craft school meals that support pupil health and overall well-being in Croydon.

School Catering Croydon

At AiP, our top chefs and expert nutritionists collaborate to enhance pupils well-being with balanced, flavourful dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. We craft school meals that support pupil health and overall well-being in Croydon.

Prioritising Nutrition and Safety in Croydon

As seasoned education caterers, we are dedicated to providing healthy school lunches that enhance the well-being and safety of our pupils. We focus on delivering delicious school meals made with high-quality ingredients and exceptional nutritional value.

Through our partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), we promote healthy eating habits. The BNF, a respected public charity, keeps our teams updated with reliable nutritional information, helping us foster balanced diets in Croydon’s schools.

Food to make students smile

Founded over 20 years ago and operating in over 400 educational institutions, we’re the experts in school catering. Our local-first approach delivers innovative menus full of tried and tested recipes that support pupil happiness and wellbeing.

Food Smart Logo

Food Smart

Built for primary school pupils, Food Smart is about having fun with food, investing in dining spaces, and offering engaging menus.

Kitcheners

Kitcheneers

Retail-focused, our secondary school offering is a fresh approach to health and wellbeing with our health by stealth programme.

The Forum

Learn more about our world flavour food offer, designed especially for sixth-form students expecting high street café culture.

Food Smart

Built for primary school pupils, Food Smart is about having fun with food, investing in dining spaces, and offering engaging menus.

Kitcheners

The Kitcheneers

Retail-focused, our secondary school offering is a fresh approach to health and wellbeing with our health by stealth programme.

The Forum

Learn more about our world flavour food offer, designed especially for sixth-form students expecting high street café culture.

Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability is integral to our mission at AiP, with achieving net zero as our top priority. We strive to deliver a better service by measuring, reporting, and reducing our carbon footprint. Our goal is to become carbon neutral by 2025 and to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2045.

To achieve net zero, we focus on reducing rather than offsetting our carbon emissions, with both short- and long-term targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Understanding the connection between food waste and carbon emissions, we aim to cut food waste by 50% by 2025 using digital pre-order and waste tracking technology to reduce waste in schools.

Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability is integral to our mission at AiP, with achieving net zero as our top priority. We strive to deliver a better service by measuring, reporting, and reducing our carbon footprint. Our goal is to become carbon neutral by 2025 and to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2045.

To achieve net zero, we focus on reducing rather than offsetting our carbon emissions, with both short- and long-term targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Understanding the connection between food waste and carbon emissions, we aim to cut food waste by 50% by 2025 using digital pre-order and waste tracking technology to reduce waste in schools.

Two boys eating a pie

Effective Allergen Management

We recognise the critical role of allergen management in providing a safe dining experience for all pupils. Our stringent allergen management policy includes offering allergen-free menu options and using the School Food United platform for straightforward allergen tracking and ordering. Our team collaborates closely with schools to identify students with dietary restrictions, ensuring meals are prepared, stored, and labelled separately with dedicated utensils as needed.

Enhancing Food Safety and Nutritional Standards

With the guidance of our expert nutritionists, we offer a balanced and nourishing meal service tailored to students’ lifestyles. We continually seek innovative ways to encourage healthy eating, such as chef-led sugar swap classes throughout the academic year to promote healthier choices in schools.

Awards and accreditations

We’re proud to hold many awards and accreditations that speak to our high standards for safety and sustainability

50 food

Why work with Us?

To exceed all nutritional standards

Producing delicious freshly cooked meals

Creating a Home from Home experience

Providing a fun environment for the pupils

Delivering a packed schedule of theme events

Employing happy friendly smiling staff

Offering a range of special offers

Introducing gardening and cookery clubs

Facilitating competitions, prizes and rewards

Inviting parents in for lunch

Working in partnership with the school

A friendly and open management style

Bespoke, Nutritionally Balanced Meals for Croydon Schools

With over 20 years of industry experience, we specialise in bespoke, digital, and sustainable catering solutions for schools in Croydon. Our meals are designed to provide flavourful and nutritious options for pupils of all ages.

We exceed Government School Food Standards and safety regulations, and our services are supported by numerous awards and accreditations. Our certifications include ISO 14001:2015, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018.

What systems do you use to manage FSM (free school meals) in large Croydon schools?

We use a digital catering platform to provide daily reports of children with FSM and UIFSM across Croydon schools. Pupil data is securely stored and reflected within our system for dietary and funding information.

How do you manage allergens and special dietary requirements?
Our robust allergen control is carried out across both on-site and off-site kitchens. We strictly adhere to the 14 major allergens, and in cases where individual medical requirements apply, we work closely with Croydon schools.
What primary school catering services do you provide?
Our Food Smart primary school catering programme is designed to engage pupils by making mealtimes fun and approachable, balancing nutrition. Schools in Croydon encourage children to develop positive, healthy eating habits from an early age.
How do you support health and well-being through Croydon school menus?
Our menus are crafted to serve nutritious, well-balanced recipes that are exciting to eat. We focus on encouraging a healthy relationship with food, placing strong emphasis on pupil engagement, wellbeing and environmentally responsible choices within Croydon schools.
How do you promote sustainable catering practices in Croydon?
We cycle our menus around seasonal produce wherever possible, helping to reduce food miles and minimise waste. By reviewing our sourcing and preparation methods, we aim to support sustainable catering services across Croydon schools.