HCLcatering

11/08/2026

Do you know how much water you're drinking each day? Is it as much as you should be?

Water is vital for our bodies. Each day we lose water in various ways, so it's important we stay hydrated and replenish our fluids as much as needed.

The same goes for our children. Because children have smaller bodies and higher metabolic rates than adults, they lose water much faster. From being out in the sun, to running around playing or being poorly, there are plenty of ways that children can easily become dehydrated.

Check out our latest nutritionist news piece - 'Hydration: Why every sip matters' to see which fluids count towards your daily intake, and how you can help support your child in staying hydrated!💧

https://www.hcl.co.uk/post/hydration-in-schools-why-every-sip-matters

Around 60% of our bodies are made up of water. Throughout the day, water is lost from the body by processes such as sweating and going to the toilet. It's important that we replace this lost water through hydration to ensure the body stays healthy and able to function correctly. Why is Water Importa...

29/07/2026

Getting children to eat their fruit and vegetables can be a challenge, but adding more colour to their plate can make healthy eating both fun and nutritious! 🍋‍🟩🫐

Our latest educational news piece explores how eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables helps children enjoy a wider variety of vitamins and minerals to support their growth, development and overall wellbeing.

Don't forget that we have a whole range of educational pieces on our website, click the link below to see! 👀

https://www.hcl.co.uk/blog

24/07/2026

And just like that, another school year comes to an end! Our people have worked incredibly hard this year and we're grateful for every single one of them ✨

Looking back, we've served over 13 million meals across our primary and secondary schools since September. That's tens of thousands of children fed everyday with tasty and nutritious meals! 🍽️

We'll be working hard over the summer to mobilise our new schools, develop new materials and improve our services to provide an even better experience for our students when they return in September.

Until then, we want to encourage you to embrace the power of good food this summer. Cook as a family, bake something new, buy in-season fruit or vegetables that you've never tried before! Good habits start with good education and that doesn't just mean in the classroom...

Check out our 'News' page on the HCL website to read our collection of food education pieces. We'll be adding to these over the summer so keep your eyes peeled.👀

https://www.hcl.co.uk/blog

Happy Summer Holidays to all!

09/07/2026

We are absolutely bursting with pride following an outstanding performance at The School Food People Finishing Touches Competition – a fantastic event celebrating the creativity, skill and innovation of school catering professionals from across the industry.

Our talented Team HCL colleagues achieved an incredible collection of awards:

🏆 Katherine Bridge – 50% Fruit Dessert (Best in Class), Preserve/Chutney (Silver) and Cake for Special Diets (Best in Class)

🥉 Hayley Moody – Cake for Special Diets (Bronze)

🥉 Joao Dos Santos De Freitas – Cake for Special Diets (Bronze)

🥇 Carly Wornham – Cake for Special Diets (Gold)

🥉 Nelea Drab – Cheesecake (Bronze)

🥉 Lee Hodgson – Cheesecake (Bronze)

🥉 Lisa Miles – Cheesecake (Bronze) and Decorated Celebration Cake (Best in Class)

🏆 Katrina Denbigh – Decorated Novelty Cake (Best in Class) and Muffins (Silver)
🌟 Jean Potter – Preserve/Chutney (Merit)

A huge congratulations to Katrina Denbigh, who was also crowned Best in Show! As a result of this fantastic achievement, Katrina has been invited back next year as a Guest Judge.

We'd also like to give a special shout-out to Jenna McGeagh, who recently competed in the East of England School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) regional final. Jenna showcased tremendous talent and professionalism throughout the competition and was a fantastic ambassador for HCL.

Congratulations to everyone who took part and helped showcase the incredible talent across Team HCL. What an achievement!👏

24/06/2026

Temperatures are soaring in the UK this week and staying hydrated is key to avoiding heatstroke and looking after yourself in the heat.☀️

We provide our schools with a selection of posters designed to remind children of the importance of drinking water. With fun and friendly water characters these posters provide students with eye-catching reminders to stay hydrated so that they're safe in the sun, and equipped to learn... even in this weather!

So, if you haven't drunk any water yet today, take this as your reminder to keep those water bottles topped up! 💧

24/06/2026

Another great spread provided at Stanborough School by the amazing kitchen team we have on-site there!

Education catering is at our heart but we're also happy to provide spreads, buffets and catered meals for events and celebrations too.

We're delighted to have been apart of recognising and showing appreciation for the hard work and dedication of all the teaching and support staff at Stanborough School! ✨

15/06/2026

We’ve just published a brand-new educational piece on Healthy Eating for Learning 🍏✏️

In it, we explore exactly why nutrition matters so much for children’s focus, energy and performance in school, and how the food they eat both at home and at school plays a key role in supporting this.

We’ve also broken down the government’s Eatwell Guide alongside the School Food Standards, to show how these guidelines directly influence the menus we create every day.

Every one of our menus is carefully designed to be fully compliant with current School Food Standards, while providing the essential nutrients children need to stay engaged, concentrate better and achieve their best.

This piece is all about providing a clearer understanding of what goes into school meals, and the thinking behind how they support children’s focus, energy and learning.

Head over to the HCL website to take a look and learn more: https://www.hcl.co.uk/post/healthy-eating-for-learning

As standards evolve, it will be important to strike the right balance - so that guidance continues to support both strong nutrition and meals that schools can deliver effectively and consistently for every child.

11/06/2026

A tube strike and nearly four hours in taxis didn’t stop Kirsty, our Customer Development Manager, and Katy, our New Business and Retention Controller, from making it to EdExec LIVE in London last Thursday! EdExec LIVE is the go-to UK event series for school business leaders shaping how schools run.

Our stand was buzzing all day, fuelling visitors with delicious cakes and cookies from our food team. 🍰

From sharing insights with school business managers and headteachers, to discussing the challenges and opportunities in school catering, it was a day full of meaningful and important conversations.

We made some exciting connections for 2027, while catching up with familiar faces who shared just how much they value the service HCL provide and the difference we make. ✨

03/06/2026

We are extremely excited to announce that we have been nominated for not one, not two, but THREE The School Food People for Excellence!

We are proud to be finalists in the following categories:

- The School Food People Primary School Catering Team of the Year Award
- The School Food People & Natasha Allergy Research Foundation Allergy Management Award
- The School Food People Marketing Award

Every day, our people go above and beyond to bring creativity, care, and passion into every kitchen, and make a real difference to the lives of the children we serve. From crafting nutritious menus to delivering delicious meals and building positive food experiences in our schools, their commitment truly sets us apart, and this recognition is a testament to the amazing work they deliver each day!