Leading meals provider apetito unveils its latest product refresh, launching 18 dishes developed with children at the forefront following market research conducted across the healthcare and education sectors. Created with the expertise of apetito in-house chefs and dietitians, the new meals combine great taste with balanced nutrition, bringing greater choice to its already extensive offering.

Market research and focus groups conducted by apetito with children, parents and decision-makers across both sectors revealed growing recognition that food plays a vital role beyond nutrition. The findings revealed a clear gap between children’s appetite for meals and their enthusiasm for what’s on the menu, revealing an opportunity to enhance children’s dining experience in hospital and at school, alongside a need for more tailored meal options that cater for diverse needs and tastes. The result is a range of new child-friendly dishes, including dedicated paediatric dishes for the first time in apetito’s Healthcare offering, developed to help healthcare providers and schools offer more relevant, engaging and appropriate meals for children.

The range comprises of comforting classics, including Cowboy Beans & Sausages, a hearty mix of beans and sausages in a smoky tomato sauce, alongside more adventurous dishes such as Chinese Style Beef, Chicken Stir-Fry and Lemon & Herb Chicken with Rice.

To encourage more autonomy over children’s food choices, build-your-own dishes also feature. The range includes various side options such as Wholewheat Rigatoni, Garlic Bread, Penne Pasta and Ditalini Pasta, alongside hearty sauces, including Beef Bolognaise, Tomato & Basil and Cheesy Green Veggie, to suit a range of tastes. In addition, Mini Pork Chipolatas and Mini Breaded Fish are also included, providing classic flavour for smaller appetites.

A Cheese & Tomato Pizza also joins the range. Featuring a rustic, 5-ingredient base topped with a rich tomato sauce and plenty of melted cheese, this classic dish brings a familiar favourite to the offering.

The meal provider also introduces four fruit-filled desserts to the range. The new Banana Bread is made with banana purée and is 50% fruit for natural sweetness, while the Puff Top Apple Pie features flaky pastry paired with apple and juicy sultanas. The new creamy Banana & Cinnamon Rice Pudding offers a warming combination of comforting flavours, while the Toffee Apple Pudding, a soft sponge filled with apple on a base of rich toffee sauce, offers a richer-tasting option.

Maia Fergus-O'Grady, Category Manager for apetito, said:

“This launch is more than just a menu refresh - it’s a direct result of our collaborative research with Sophie’s Legacy, alongside focus groups and direct feedback from children, parents and key decision makers in both the healthcare and education sectors.

“Recognising the growing need to offer meal options that balance taste, nutrition and enjoyment, the range reflects what matters most to children at mealtimes. Crucially, the range includes meals that children genuinely want to eat, ensuring the nutritional benefits of the meals served are actually eaten.”

To discover more about apetito’s brand-new paediatrics range for hospitals, click here, or to read further about its range refresh for schools click here.