School events, camps, and teacher-only days all share a common challenge: feeding a group of people efficiently, safely, and without turning the organiser into an unpaid chef. For school administrators, BOT members, and teachers responsible for event logistics, catering decisions carry more weight than they might initially appear to.

Getting it wrong creates problems — hungry students, dietary incidents, stressed staff, and budget blowouts. Getting it right means everyone is fed, the event runs smoothly, and the person who organised the catering can focus on everything else that needs attention.

Here is what schools should understand before signing up for any catering arrangement.

The difference between catering models

Not all catering services work the same way, and the model you choose will determine how much logistics falls on your school and how much is handled by the provider.

Traditional on-site catering (where a caterer comes to your premises with staff and equipment) offers maximum flexibility but also maximum coordination complexity. You need to arrange access, kitchen facilities, timing, serving logistics, and payment — and the cost is typically higher.

Ready made meal catering — where pre-cooked, frozen meals are ordered in advance and delivered to the school — operates very differently. The food arrives already cooked and snap-frozen, in family or bulk trays that can be reheated on-site in a standard oven. There is no chef to coordinate, no set-up crew to manage, and no kitchen prep required beyond the reheating stage.

For most school camps, class trips, and teacher-only days, the ready made meal model is considerably simpler and more practical.

Volume planning: how much food is enough?

Underestimating food volumes is one of the most common mistakes in catering for schools. Hungry kids and hungry teachers are a problem, and the perception that there was not enough food tends to stick in people's memories regardless of how well the rest of the event went.

When planning volumes, use conservative serving estimates rather than optimistic ones. For school-aged children, plan for three to four servings per family-sized tray (rather than the five that is technically possible). For secondary school students and adults, four per tray is usually appropriate. Always have at least one or two additional trays as contingency for larger appetites or unexpected attendees.

A good catering provider will help you work through portion calculations if you give them the group size, age range, and event duration. Do not rely on your own estimates alone — use the provider's experience.

Dietary requirements: non-negotiable planning

Any school catering arrangement must address dietary requirements before the event, not on the day. This means collecting dietary information from all attendees in advance — specifically food allergies (particularly the serious ones: nut, gluten, dairy, egg), intolerances, and religious or ethical dietary preferences.

The consequences of a dietary incident at a school event range from a student feeling excluded and uncomfortable, to a genuine medical emergency if a serious allergy is not managed properly. Neither outcome is acceptable.

When choosing a catering provider, confirm explicitly what dietary options are available and how they handle cross-contamination. Providers offering gluten-free and dairy-free meals should be able to tell you whether those meals are produced in a dedicated environment or alongside meals containing those allergens.

For schools looking at providers with genuine dietary range, catering specifically set up for school events and camps is one model worth exploring — with vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options available across the menu, and specific guidance on allergy handling.

Lead time: plan earlier than you think

School catering often gets organised later than it should. The camp is on the calendar, the permission slips go out, the activity programme is sorted — and then someone realises no one has sorted the food.

For ready made meal catering, two weeks lead time is a reasonable minimum. Longer is better, particularly for large groups or events that fall in busy periods. Short-notice orders may be possible through some providers, but availability is not guaranteed, and rushing the ordering process increases the risk of getting the volumes or dietary options wrong.

Build the catering decision into the event planning checklist at the same time as accommodation, transport, and activity bookings — not as a last step.

Budget realities

School catering budgets are rarely generous, and cost per head is a real constraint. The ready made meal model is generally more cost-effective than on-site catered alternatives because you are not paying for chef labour, travel, or on-site service — just the food itself plus delivery.

When comparing options, cost per serving is more useful than total order cost. Factor in delivery charges if applicable. And be realistic about what adequate food costs — attempting to feed a camp group on a budget that only works if everyone eats less than they actually want to is a false economy.

Who handles the reheating on the day?

With ready made meal catering, reheating falls on school staff. This is straightforward but needs to be planned. You need to know: how many ovens are available and what their capacity is, how long each tray takes to reheat (typically 35–45 minutes covered, followed by a short uncovered period), and how to stagger reheating to ensure everything is ready at the same time.

Most providers supply clear reheating instructions with each order. Follow them rather than improvising — the instructions are written for the specific meals and will produce the best result.

A checklist before you commit

Before signing up with any school catering provider, confirm the following: delivery coverage to your location, available dietary options and how allergens are managed, minimum order quantities, lead time requirements, reheating logistics, and what happens if there is a delivery issue.

A provider that is clear and straightforward on all of these points is a much safer choice than one that is vague or slow to respond. School catering is not the place for surprises.