The quality of meals is included in the constant improvement of each preschool. The study is carried out on behalf of the City of Malmö and Environmental Management and focuses on this quality work. By compiling a checklist of meal quality and by identifying what the meal quality means for persons working with the meal (managers, cooks, educators and parents), it is our wish that this will be a help in their quality work.
To inspire the composition various organizations working methods and ways to manage, evaluate and make use of different models and tools to improve the dining quality, has been studied.
In the literature, the work has received confirmation of theories that emerged during the analysis work of what a meal is and how quality can be measured. The results show that food quality is described as a complex concept consisting of different parts, where the food, atmosphere, service, together form the meal quality. The semi-structured interviews and the inquiry form, have given an indication of the preschool work with quality in the meal activities and it shows that on a wide range and large differences. When various occupational groups were asked, what ”meal quality” means, the responses are consistent to the food, that it was good, appetizing, organic or where locally produced.
It turned out that the cooperation between managers and other employees worked but that there were no directives "from above" which regulate the work concerning meals.
Teamwork between the kitchen and preschool teachers, which is so important in quality work, was very insignificant and they were looking for ways to solve this.
The criteria for the Check list that includes headings as, "Food and quality of raw materials", "Dining" situation", “Work environment and collaboration" and "Education and development" are based on the results we received from interviews, literature studies and field trips.