Nostalgic Desserts and Eye-Catching Presentation

The report highlights how seasonal flavours, nostalgic desserts and eye-catching presentation can help drive footfall and increase spend. From chai, espresso martini and mulled pomegranate-inspired serves to indulgent toppings such as toasted panettone, peppermint bark and blondie s’mores, winter menus are evolving to deliver comfort, creativity and shareable moments. The report also points to growing demand for adventurous flavour combinations, including sweet-meets-savoury pairings and emerging tea-inspired desserts, alongside the continued importance of texture and visual appeal.

Released as part of Comelle’s 75th anniversary celebrations, the latest Forecast provides practical inspiration for operators looking to boost dessert sales and profitability throughout autumn and winter.

To explore the full Autumn/Winter Soft Serve Forecast 2026 and discover more seasonal menu ideas, download the report from Comelle.

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latest additions

Among the latest additions are Heavy Duty Refuse Sacks, supplied in cases of 200 and manufactured from 100% recyclable polythene. Offering increased strength and tear resistance, they are CHSA-certified, giving operators confidence that they meet independently verified standards for specification, durability and performance. It’s another practical solution from a brand focused on delivering dependable everyday products that help foodservice businesses control costs while maintaining high operational standards.

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Growing Popularities

While sweet-and-spicy combinations have long featured in Latin American and Asian cuisines, the growing popularity of bold, visually appealing dishes has helped propel the “fricy” trend into the mainstream. As diners increasingly seek memorable flavours and social media-worthy menu items, products like these offer operators an easy way to tap into consumer demand without adding preparation time.

Supplied frozen and ready to cook, Pacific West’s Chilli & Mango Prawns provide a convenient solution for busy kitchens looking to add contemporary flavours to starters, sharing platters or light bites. The launch also highlights how established products can gain fresh relevance as food trends evolve.

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Supporting Menu Flexibility

Suitable for ovens, combi ovens, air fryers and deep fryers, the versatile range delivers consistent, high-quality seafood regardless of the cooking method, helping operators simplify service without compromising on taste. Ideal for schools, care homes, pubs, hotels and contract caterers, Flexi-Cook supports menu flexibility, reduces waste and helps kitchens adapt to changing operational demands.

The range includes Whitby and Kilkeel scampi, Discovery scampi, scampi and cod poppers, tempura haddock goujons and breaded and tempura king prawns, offering plenty of opportunities to refresh menus across multiple occasions.

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Aiming to Improve Stability

Designed as a direct 1:1 alternative to dairy soft serve, Flora Professional’s frozen dessert solution aims to improve stability during delivery while simplifying back-of-house operations. The research also suggests operators could benefit from higher yields, improved margins and reduced waste, alongside a lower carbon footprint compared with traditional dairy soft serve.

Growing Demand

With growing consumer demand for dairy-free options, the product also helps businesses broaden their appeal without the need to manage multiple dessert lines. Blind taste testing found no compromise on flavour, reinforcing its potential to satisfy a wider range of customers.

For operators looking to maximise frozen dessert sales, the research highlights an opportunity to combine operational efficiency, sustainability and consistent quality to unlock profitable new occasions.

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Nutrition and Hydration Week returns for its 15th year, running from Monday 15th to Sunday 21st March, with organisations across the UK and around the world — from Australia to Canada to Spain to Qatar— taking part. Wednesday 17th March will once again put Afternoon Tea in the spotlight, giving colleagues everywhere a chance to indulge in cake and, of course, scones.

Nutrition and Hydration Week exists to highlight, promote and celebrate improvements in the provision of nutrition and hydration locally, nationally and globally. In keeping with that shared objective, this year the Week is running a scone recipe competition. The competition invites teams to enter any of the two classes, showcasing their culinary skill, creativity and innovation, with the aim of leaving a long-term legacy and inspiring, good practice across health and social care.

The Competition Classes

Class One – Scones
Recipes for either or both sweet and savoury scones, which may include regional or international variants.

Class Two – Allergen-Free Scones
Recipes for either or both sweet and savoury scones that meet all 14 known allergens as defined by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Recipes in this class must be vegan.

Judging Criteria

• Compliance with each class requirements
• Costed recipes
• Innovative ideas and presentation
• To have fun

Andy Jones, founder of Nutrition and Hydration Week, said:

“Wednesday is a global focus through that most British of institutions, an Afternoon Tea. It appears to grab our colleagues overseas to join us in sharing and promoting good nutrition and hydration in health and social care around the globe, whilst having a bit of fun and providing a novel experience for the people they care for.”

Anyone wishing to enter should submit their recipes and photographs by the closing date of Wednesday 18th November 2026, by email to nhweek@yahoo.co.uk.

Find out more

Further details of the legacy that Nutrition and Hydration Week is building across health and social care can be found at the Nutrition and Hydration Week website.

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Nostalgic Desserts

The report highlights how seasonal flavours, nostalgic desserts and eye-catching presentation can help drive footfall and increase spend. From chai, espresso martini and mulled pomegranate-inspired serves to indulgent toppings such as toasted panettone, peppermint bark and blondie s’mores, winter menus are evolving to deliver comfort, creativity and shareable moments. The report also points to growing demand for adventurous flavour combinations, including sweet-meets-savoury pairings and emerging tea-inspired desserts, alongside the continued importance of texture and visual appeal.

Released as part of Comelle’s 75th anniversary celebrations, the latest Forecast provides practical inspiration for operators looking to boost dessert sales and profitability throughout autumn and winter.

Explore the Full Report

To explore the full Autumn/Winter Soft Serve Forecast 2026 and discover more seasonal menu ideas, download the report from Comelle. https://marketing.lakelanddairies.com/comelle-soft-serve-forecast-autumn-winter-edition

The post Soft Serve Isn’t Just for Summer Anymore appeared first on Stir it up Magazine.

The chef and broadcaster swapped her usual television duties for the school dining hall at Stanwell Fields CE Primary in Staines, ambushing Head Chef Clare Collier and her unsuspecting catering team.

Far from just posing for photos, Dame Prue rolled up her sleeves to help the team prep and serve a menu of chicken and tomato orzo with Greek salad to hungry pupils, before finishing her shift at the sink.

A Family Team at the Heart of School Food

The secret visit was organised by national charity Chefs in Schools to reward the team, which is a unique family affair. Head Chef Clare works alongside her father, who acts as her kitchen assistant, and both she and colleague Lucy Gunning have children at the school.

The team goes above and beyond every single day, from decorating the dining hall to ensuring every child is well nurtured and has the fresh, nutritious fuel they need to learn.

Dame Prue, a patron of the charity, was so blown away by their dedication that she declared the kitchen a “blueprint” for the rest of the UK. Praising the standard of the food and the staff, she said:

“I thought the atmosphere in the kitchen was terrific. The professionalism was everything. If only we could clone them and put them all over the country.”

Investing in School Kitchen Teams

The school serves a community where 32% of children qualify for free school meals, and Dame Prue noted that the team refuses to reduce down menus for younger palates:
“They’re not compromising and thinking, ‘Well, because it’s children, we won’t put the olives in.’ I watched the children, and at my table, two of them were eating the olives. It’s just so good for them to taste new things.”

Emma Wiltshire, Executive Head Chef for the LDBS Academy Trust which oversees the school, said:
“In a community like Stanwell where children don’t necessarily have exposure to a broad palate at home, really giving them that opportunity at school is so important. You know they’ve eaten well for the day.”

The success at Stanwell Fields comes amid a growing childhood health crisis in the UK, and right in the middle of the biggest expansion of the school meal system in a generation. From this month, the government is expanding free school meal eligibility to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit, bringing over 500,000 more children into dining halls nationwide.

With a major statutory overhaul of school food standards also taking place, driving a nationwide shift toward nutritious, vegetable-heavy, freshly baked food, experts argue that school dining halls — and the teams that run them — have a vital frontline role to play.

Nicole Pisani, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-founder of Chefs in Schools, said:
“Our children are facing a massive health crisis, caught between food deserts and junk food marketing. But the dining hall is where we can step in. Food is where we make real connections. It’s where healthy development takes place, where we sit together, share stories, and learn to love good ingredients.

“School is that one special place where we can reach every single child, feed them with care, and give them the fuel they need to truly thrive. Stanwell Fields proves that when you put love on the plate and treat kitchen teams like the skilled chefs and food educators they are, this magic can happen anywhere.”

Dame Prue and Chefs in Schools are now using the surprise visit to call on schools nationally to invest in training kitchen staff.

Training and Support for School Kitchen Teams

Schools and anybody interested in school food wanting to get ahead of the September changes can access a comprehensive hub of support and advice at schoolfoodproject.org.uk. For training support for school kitchen teams, head to www.chefsinschools.org.uk.

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2026 evaluation confirms that Growing to Love is fun, easy-to-deliver and curriculum-compliant while supporting vegetable acceptance and learning.

Wednesday 3 September 2026 // Veg Power announced today that over the last four years, 100,000 primary school children across the UK have benefited from its ‘Growing to Love’ campaign. This year, 25,000 children across 387 schools participated, with the post campaign evaluation revealing that the hands-on, curriculum-compliant growing project supports vegetable acceptance and learning, while being fun and easy-to-deliver. Importantly, 100% of participating schools wanted to repeat the experience in 2027 highlighting the growing project’s success.

Other key statistics from the 2026 evaluation involving 89 schools found:
● 100% of teachers said their pupils really enjoyed it
● 98% said the programme was easy to deliver
● 90% of teachers said it helped them to deliver the curriculum
● 77% said their pupils were more willing to eat tomatoes.

Teachers who participated in the campaign were also enthusiastic about the campaign, stating:

“We have found the Veg Power resources to be engaging, easy to use and highly effective in encouraging children to try and enjoy a wider range of vegetables. The campaigns support our school’s commitment to healthy lifestyles and provide excellent links to the curriculum.”

“Thank you for an amazing opportunity for our children. We look forward to participating again next year!”

“Absolutely amazing. The children have loved everything from planting to completing the sticker charts! Fantastic resources.”

From Planting Tomato Plants to Tasting the Results

#GrowingtoLove started in the summer term with pupils taking ownership and responsibility for growing their own tomato plants, looking after them at home during the school holidays and are set to enjoy ripe, delicious tomatoes anytime soon. As with previous years, the campaign was supported by a range of experts including TV and radio presenter, Sam Nixon and former Blue Peter Gardener, Chris Collins. Veg Power’s ongoing collaboration with Aardman Animation, saw Shaun the Sheep also featuring in the campaign.

Bringing Growing to Life with Veg Power and Shaun the Sheep

Commenting on Growing to Love, Dan Parker, Chief Executive, Veg Power, said, “We’ve run Growing to Love for four years now and we are so pleased that 100,000 children across the UK have now experienced this fun, hands-on activity that importantly supports their learning and vegetable acceptance. We designed the campaign to be fun and easy to implement for busy teachers and as 100% of teachers said their pupils really enjoyed it and 100% of schools want to repeat the experience, we can safely say the campaign has been a great success! All of this would not be possible without the support we have received including growers and retailers and, of course, Shaun the Sheep.”

Growing to Love Returns in 2027

Growing to Love will return to primary schools in April 2027 with registration opening in January. For more information visit the VEGPOWER website.

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Driving Change Across the Supply Chain

For foodservice operators, the validation provides added confidence that sustainability commitments are backed by measurable, independently verified action. The Melitta Group has pledged to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 43.15% by 2030, alongside substantial cuts across its wider supply chain and agriculture-related emissions. Suppliers responsible for the majority of purchased goods emissions will also be required to adopt science-based targets by 2030.

Looking further ahead, the company aims to achieve net-zero emissions across all scopes by 2045, with a strong focus on reducing emissions throughout its operations and supply chain before considering offsets. The milestone reinforces Wrapmaster®’s commitment to supporting customers and partners on their own sustainability journeys while helping drive meaningful environmental progress across the foodservice sector.

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