It is important for schools to assess and address the dietary needs of their students to ensure they receive adequate nutrition while avoiding potential allergens.
Some schools may offer gluten or allergy-free options as part of their regular meal plans, while others may accommodate specific dietary needs upon request.
Most possibly the easiest way is to find a solution where all meals are made allergen-free but still taste delicious and packed full of flavour. We pride ourselves on leading the way in development. All of our products are labelled clearly with allergen information.
As cross-contamination can be fatal, it is vital for chefs to pay close attention when in the kitchen not to mix ingredients or re-use a chopping board. A simple mistake when serving in schools could be to send out a dish with standard gravy to a student who is intolerant to gluten.
A simple yet effective way to combat this would be to use allergen-free products, that are still packed full of flavour and provide a delicious accompaniment to all meals and for all students, regardless of dietary requirements.
Major’s pioneering approach to product development saw the addition of vitamin D to our Gluten Free Gravy in 2022. In 2025, after listening to the market and growing concerns from the school sector, we updated the recipe to also be tomato-free.
Vitamin D is essential to an individual’s physical, emotional and social health. Contributing to healthy bones, facilitating hormone regulation, managing blood sugar levels, enhancing the immune system, improving heart health and supporting concentration and memory, Vitamin D is vital.
When it comes to recipe development there is always a balance to be struck, but at Major our bottom line is that we believe quality meals should be enjoyed by all without limitations or compromise. Our new vitamin D gravy recipe offers the same great taste, rich flavour, and health benefits which can be poured over any meal.
With Major’s products we have created an array of stocks, sauces and marinades that can be added to recipes with minimal prep, helping to save time for busy catering teams. One of the biggest appeals of pre-made products, such as stocks and sauces, is the convenience and time-saving capabilities.
With the products currently available on the market, like those in the Major International range, public sector caterers can also be confident that when using a pre-made product, they’re getting a consistent, quality taste and texture every time.
The best solution is to use free-from products as a standard base as this will simplify food prep to make it more manageable, giving chefs more time to get inventive with cooking processes and presentation.
Major can accommodate a full free-from offering with our gluten-free portfolio that includes everything from authentic stocks and luxurious jus to mouthwatering marinades and smoky liquid seasonings.
Our chefs’ base suitability chart is an easy-to-read guide which gives all the allergen and dietary information for the current range of Major products in one place.
For ease and quick identification, Major packaging is clearly labelled with all relevant allergy information and its website contains a handy, downloadable suitability chart for further information: https://www.majorint.com/contentfiles/major-2.pdf