Lunch - Benjamin Franklin International School

At BFIS we like to provide a balanced diet of different food groups, with a preference for seasonal products and local production. Menu planning includes different members of our community, including the kitchen head, school administrators and parents. Our school menus are designed to meet nutritional recommendations regarding daily needs of different nutrients and the principles of the Mediterranean diet.

Healthy and Quality Food

We are conscious about the importance of keeping a healthy diet. In response to our families requests, SANED (our kitchen partner) has established a partnership with Veritas (ecological food providers) to provide our kitchen with products from ecological agriculture and local farmers.

Some of the highlights regarding our Eco-Menu are:

Organic farming providers
Kilometer Zero providers
A decrease in the consumption of meat protein
Compostable packaging

Prepared at BFIS

Lunch for our students is freshly cooked onsite every day by our in-house chef and kitchen team. Students may enroll in our lunch program monthly or for the entire year. Tickets for lunch on a single day are also available. Enrollment modifications should be done before the 20th day of the current month. Our monthly menus and registration forms are always available for families on the BFIS parent portal.

Nut-Aware Campus

BFIS is a nut-aware environment. While we implement measures to minimize exposure, we cannot guarantee a completely nut-free campus. Our teachers and staff receive comprehensive training to recognize and respond to allergic reactions or intolerances, including the administration of necessary medication.

Food allergies

We are able to adapt our menus to accommodate various dietary needs, including health requirements, allergies, intolerances, and other specific food preferences.

FAQ

How are the menus created?

Our menus are prepared with a varied and balanced diet in mind. SANED, our dedicated lunch service provider, employs a research team and nutritionists who design diverse, healthy menus, including specialized options for vegetarians and students with food allergies.

The school reviews and confirms the monthly menu, taking into account the preferences of our families. Our foremost priorities are the quality of the products used and ensuring that each menu is healthy, nutritious, and varied.

Is everything cooked at the school?

All meals at BFIS are prepared on-site, with our kitchen staff transforming unprocessed ingredients into fresh, delicious dishes daily. We prioritize quality, sourcing fresh vegetables and fruits from local providers. While our organic bread dough arrives directly from a local bakery, it is baked fresh in our school kitchen every morning, offering both white and whole wheat varieties.

Are there different food options?

The daily school menu is available on the parent portal and includes suggestions for dinner at home, helping families ensure a complete daily nutritional intake for their children.

At school, students always have the choice of a vegetarian option or a grilled meat/fish option. Our extensive salad buffet offers a wide variety of choices, and staples like rice and pasta are served with separate sauces, allowing for easy substitution with vegetables.

What type of oil is used to cook?

Are all vegetables and fruits organic and produced/grown locally?

All vegetables and fruits supplied to our school come from SANED's dedicated purchasing center working together with Veritas, a local ecological food provider. This center meticulously selects the finest local farmers and lands in the Maresme and Catalonia regions, ensuring daily collection and direct delivery from the orchard to BFIS.

Environmentally respectful cultivation practices
Use of natural fertilizers
Pollination with bees
Sustainable operations
Application of natural pesticides

Picnics

We provide a convenient picnic lunch service for students participating in field trips and off-campus outings. Each picnic pack includes a balanced meal featuring a portion of pasta salad, couscous, or rice, accompanied by vegetable nuggets or chicken fingers with potatoes, a piece of fruit, homemade cake, and juice. All picnic packaging is recyclable and/or compostable, aligning with our commitment to sustainability.

Breakfast and Afternoon Snacks

Are additives and preservatives used in food from the BFIS cafeteria? If so, what type?

Where does the meat served at school come from?

All the beef and pork that we serve in the school canteen is organic and Veritas certified CCPAE (Consell Català de la Producció Agrària Ecològica) that certifies the organic production of Catalan farms.

Cold meat comes from Viñals Gourmet, a family business located in Argentona. This company supplies the veal, pork and lamb that we use in the preparation of our gourmet menus.

The cattle are from their own and associated farms, located in the best cattle regions of Catalonia and Aragon. The breeding takes place in farms and “masías” in the traditional way of Catalonia, putting attention to their natural diet.

In the year 2000, Viñals obtained the certification from the Ministry of Health and Consumption and from the Department of Agriculture, Raising and Fishing of the Generalitat of Catalonia authorizing the CARNROSADA quality mark, which ensures the quality and purity of the meats served at the school.