The supply of healthier commodities can be difficult, suppliers do not stock some ingredients because ‘there is no demand’ . Catering managers do not ask for some foods because they think suppliers do not carry them. The answer is to ask for what you want. Here is a list to start you off.

Bakery  

• Wholemeal bread, granary bread, multigrain, rye-bread
• ‘Medium’ or ‘thick’ cut bread for sandwiches
• Speciality breads • bagels, naan breads, pitas, chapattis, wraps
• Scones, teacakes, raisin bread, malt loaf, Chelsea buns, iced buns, crumpet, pikelets, muffins, crepes

Dry Goods / Cereals

• Wholegrain, unsugared breakfast cereals like Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, unsweetened muesli, puffed wheat
• Bran-type (e.g. Branflakes, All Bran)
• Quick cook brown rice; white rice; pudding rice
• Rolled oats, pin-heat oatmeal, cornmeal, couscous, bulgur wheat, millet
• Wholemeal flour, wheatmeal flour, self-raising flour wholemeal flour, besan flour, buckwheat flour
• Wholemeal flour scone mix
• Reduced fat  / reduced sugar biscuits like gingernuts, garibaldi, oatcakes, rich tea, crispbreads, fig, apple and banana rolls.

Milk and Milk Products

• Fresh or powdered or semi-skimmed varieties 
• Cottage cheese, ricotta, skimmed milk cheeses, ‘light’ or ‘half’ fat cream cheeses, reduced fat hard cheeses
• Lower fat chesses include Edam, Feta, Gouda, Brie, Camembert, St Paulin, Babybel, Coulommiers, Petit Suisse, Mozzarella, Emmental, Gruyere
• Low fat yoghurt, frozen yoghurt
• Fromage frais (0% fat and 8% fat) Greek yoghurt as a substitute for cream
• ‘Half fat’ or ‘light’ creams

Fats and Oils

• Unsaturated oils like sunflower, corn, soya, olive, rape seed
• Low fat spread, polyunsaturated margarine
• ‘White’ margarine for pastry making
• Low fat yoghurt dressings, low calorie mayonnaise

Convenience Foods

• Dried fruits, mixtures of dried fruits and nuts (e.g. Caribbean and tropical mixes
• Compressed fruit bars, fruit sticks
• Plain popcorn
• Unsalted raw or dry roasted nuts

Frozen

• Sorbets (without cream)
• Filo pastry
• ‘Thick cut’ chips, oven chips
• Frozen fruit (e.g. berries)
• Frozen vegetables (e.g. stir fry)

Pasta and Rice

• Wholemeal, white and green varieties of spaghetti, lasagne, macaroni, fettucine, rigatoni, cannelloni, tatliatelli etc. 
• Fresh pasta
• Long grain, brown, basmati, short grain rice

Peas and Beans

• Dried peas and lentils (e.g. red kidney beans, black eyed beans, butter beans, haricot beans, flageolet bean, spit peas, chickpeas, red and green lentils)
• Canned beans (e.g. baked beans, red kidney beans)
• Texturised vegetable protein (TVP)

Nuts

• Unsalted raw or ‘dry roasted’ nuts, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews
• No added salt peanut butter
• Sesame seeds, pumkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseed

Fruit and Vegetables

• All fresh, raw varieties of fruit and vegetables
• Pure fruit juice, no added sugar
• Dried fruit, sultanas, apricots, prunes, raisins, dates, figs
• Fruits canned in natural juice, solid pack fruit
• Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Canned vegetables
• Dehydrated vegetables including dried tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Vegetable juices

Flavourings

• Salt-reduced stocks and soup mixes
• Herbs, spices, curry powder, mustard powder
• Reduced sugar jams, jellies

Meat and Fish

• Lean red meat (e.g. beef, pork tenderloin, lamb)
• Lean poultry (e.g. chicken and turkey)
• Lean processed meats (e.g. ham, pastrami, bacon)
• Fresh and frozen fish and seafood 
• Fish canned in spring water or sauce (e.g. tomato)
  (e.g. salmon, pilchards, trout, herring, sardines)
• Meat substitutes (e.g. tofu, Quorn)