Frequently asked questions
You have questions. We have the answers.
Topic overview
Registration
So that your child can take part in the meal if individual billing is done via the parents. If billing is done via the institution, online registration is generally not required.
If your child attends a school or daycare center that is supplied by VielfaltMenü, you will receive a registration code by e-mail from your institution or from our service center. You can use this to register your child online. Important: You will need a valid e-mail address to complete the online registration process
Yes, this is possible. Simply open vielfaltmenue.com in your tablet’s browser. This works in the same way as on a computer or smartphone. If necessary, switch to the desktop version of the website to complete the registration.
- Click on the “Registration & Login Kitas / Schools” button at the top of the website.
- Enter the registration code in the text field and click on the “Register” button.
- Follow the registration process and enter the required data.
- At the end of the registration process, you will receive the registration confirmation with your online access data as a PDF file and our GTC by e-mail.
- Click on the “Complete registration” button to complete your registration. You can now start ordering meals.
No. The code is only intended for registration in your institution.
The most likely cause: Our e-mail has landed in your spam folder. Please check there. Tip: Save our e-mail address in your address book so that our e-mails always reach you. It is also possible that the storage space in your e-mail inbox has been used up.
In this case, you must conclude the contract with us in writing. You can obtain the contract (registration for meal provision) at the facility or on request from our Service Center.
Please check your spam folder. If you cannot find the customer number there, please contact the Service Center.
After a longer period of inactivity, a new registration is necessary. The same applies if your child has changed facilities, as this may change the contractual conditions (form of care, menu offer, prices, etc.).
The profile is the combination of your customer number and your password.
Yes, you can save multiple profiles. This is how it works:
- Click on the “Registration & Login Kitas / Schools” button above.
- Enter your customer number and password and activate “Save profile”.
- After clicking on the “Log in” button, the profile for your child is saved and you are logged in.
- For each additional child, select “Add profile” and follow the instructions.
Meal order and login
- Click on the “Login | Order” button above and log in first.
- Enter your customer number and password.
Tip: If you have already saved a profile, you can select a profile under “Log in with saved profile” and use it to log in. - After successfully logging in, you will see the current weekly meal plan for the school or daycare center.
- Click to select the meal for your children. It will automatically be added to the shopping cart.
- You can order meals for several weeks at the same time. To change the weeks, click on the arrow buttons to the right and left of the calendar week. It is not necessary to save in between.
- When you have made your final choice, click on “Save and add to cart” below.
- You will now be redirected to the shopping cart.
- To complete your order, click on “Confirm”.
No. You can select the food for several weeks and add it to the shopping cart. Saving is only necessary at the end of the order process in the shopping cart.
- When you are logged in, click on “Order food”.
- Click on the tick for the ordered meal in the meal plan. The symbol for canceling the order (recycle bin) appears.
- Now click on the shopping cart at the top right.
- To finalize the cancellation, click on “Confirm”.
- Cancellation is confirmed.
- Click on “OK” to return to the meal plan. This completes the cancelation process.
Important to know: Only cancelations that have been finally confirmed as in steps 3 and 4 can be considered by us. Canceled orders that are still in the shopping cart are not considered canceled.
This can have several causes:
- Your facility uses collective orders.
Daycare centers often place complete orders. In this case, you can only cancel orders. - The order deadline for the desired day has expired – this is then displayed in gray.
- There are payment arrears or your credit balance is insufficient.
- Your facility has set up order breaks for certain days (e.g. bridge days, hiking days, vacation periods).
- There are invalid items in the shopping cart. Remove them to start a new order.
A saved profile consists of your password and your customer number. This allows you to use all online services in your customer account without having to re-enter your access data.
If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it in two ways:
- Without login: Click on “Login | Order” and then on “Forgot password”.
- With login: Change your password in the “Manage profile” area under your user name.
In both cases, you will need to enter your e-mail address and customer number. After clicking on “Reset”, you will receive an e-mail with a link to change your password. The new password must be at least 8 characters long and contain a number and a special character.
You will find your customer number on invoices, contract documents or the registration confirmation. If you have any questions, please contact the Service Center – contact details can be found in the documents, on the website or in the VielfaltMenü app.
- Change password: Go to profile management and select “Change password”.
- Reset your password: Use the “Forgot your password?” function in the login area under “Order food”.
If you are already logged in, please log out first.
In daycare centers and schools with a large number of students, there are complex logistics behind the preparation and provision of fresh meals. Depending on the catering concept, the planning and preparation for the coming week of meals is often completed one or two days before the weekend. For this reason, we are unfortunately unable to offer the ordering function everywhere at the weekend.
To ensure that you always have an overview, all online registered customers can find the exact order deadlines in their profile administration under the “Order times” button.
The order reminder helps you to be reminded in good time to select and order your food.
If you have already ordered: Simply ignore the reminder if you receive it anyway.
If you want to deactivate the notification:
- If you no longer wish to receive order reminders, you can deactivate them at any time in your customer profile (provided you are registered online).
- Open the profile management.
- Remove the checkmark next to “Order reminder”.
- Save the changes.
After deactivation, you will receive a confirmation by e-mail.
Communal meals are at the heart of the educational concept at the daycare center. The children’s menus are stored as a standing order and are carefully selected by the daycare center. Care is taken to ensure a balanced diet that meets nutritional and physiological requirements and is often adapted to the age of the children.
We are very sorry if there are any problems with your order. We take your concerns seriously and would like to clarify the cause quickly to ensure that it does not happen again.
In this case, please contact our service center directly. You will find the contact details in your contract documents, on our website or in the VielfaltMenü app. We will take care of it immediately!
Catering
We offer four different options for catering in your facility:
- Cook & Serve: Freshly cooked in your kitchen and served warm.
In our local kitchens:
- Cook & Hold:…freshly cooked, delivered hot and served on time.
- Cook & Chill:…freshly cooked, delivered chilled and served warm on time.
- Cook & Complete:…freshly cooked, delivered chilled and flexibly served warm.
Together with you, we will find the ideal solution to suit your needs.
We carefully prepare the food for daycare centers and schools in accordance with the quality standards and recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). Many of our kitchens are even specially certified for a menu line according to these standards.
We attach great importance to seasonal and regional ingredients from certified suppliers. For us, regional means that the products are available seasonally in Germany. We prefer ingredients from growing areas where they can ripen naturally.
Our quality management is based on the following four pillars:
- We consistently comply with all legal requirements of the Food Hygiene Ordinance.
- We use a quality and environmental management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001 / 14001.
- We have external controls, regular audits and certifications carried out.
No, we do not use any artificial preservatives or flavor enhancers such as sodium glutamate. Our meals are prepared exclusively from fresh, natural ingredients.
Our food is specially tailored to the needs and abilities of children of different age groups.
We offer bite-sized pieces of fruit and vegetables for small children. Children’s buffets encourage independence through play.
For young people, the focus is on international dishes and practical snacks that suit their tastes and their everyday lives.
With our many years of experience in nursery and school catering, we ensure that every child receives a suitable and age-appropriate meal.
Our menu is varied and balanced to suit every taste:
- Fresh salad, vegetables, raw vegetables and fruit are served daily.
- Vegetarian options: A vegetarian dish is available every day.
- Meat and fish: Meat is eaten at most twice a week, fish at least once. Dairy and egg dishes supplement the diet regularly.
Depending on the establishment, up to three menus can be selected. Buffet solutions, free choice of side dishes and special promotions provide additional variety. We make sure that the dishes are rarely repeated.
Our employees are firmly rooted in the region and know the cultural, social and culinary characteristics of the area. Their knowledge is incorporated into the menus to create a varied and appealing offering.
At VielfaltMenü, we want to gradually reduce the consumption of animal products and continuously increase the proportion of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
In collaboration with ProVeg, we have reviewed and further improved our vegetarian menu line. We are also raising awareness among our kitchen managers, chefs and serving staff about the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Our aim is to expand the selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes in the long term so that all guests can benefit from the advantages of a varied and plant-based diet.
Our prices are based on a mixed calculation. This means that not only the costs for the ingredients are taken into account, but also expenses for staff, electricity, kitchen cleaning, the service center and billing.
We also want to ensure that our employees are paid fairly, that the meals meet the guidelines of the German Nutrition Society and that the prices remain affordable for as many families as possible.
It is important to us that every child has access to varied and high-quality meals – even those that are more complex and expensive to prepare. We make this possible through mixed costing. In this way, the offer remains fair and balanced for everyone.
Yes, we want every child to be full and are therefore usually happy to give seconds of vegetables, potatoes and other filling side dishes. If a side dish is completely used up, we offer another side dish instead.
It is important to us to provide the children with good food and at the same time avoid food waste as much as possible. We therefore try to plan our requirements carefully without sacrificing flexibility.
The choice of dessert depends on several factors. For example, the number of calories, the taste and the requirements for a balanced menu.
So if a substantial main course with meat is offered, we combine it with fruit or raw vegetables rather than a creamy quark dish in order to keep the number of calories within the guidelines.
Our recipes are based on the standards of the German Nutrition Society (DGE).
Yes, organic is organic with us!
We are regularly certified and many of our recipes are made from organic ingredients. On request, we can put together a completely organic menu for you. Get in touch with us!
This varies from facility to facility and depends on the conditions, requirements, price and the desired catering concept. On request, we can offer daycare centers and schools a 100% organic menu.
Yes, we pay attention to sustainability in all processes.
As a regional caterer, we take responsibility for the ecological and social challenges of our time. We focus on sustainable food, environmentally friendly practices and responsible resource management – without compromising on quality and taste.
Yes, we source most of our fresh vegetables from regional farms and pay attention to seasonality.
If fresh vegetables are not available in sufficient quantities, we use frozen vegetables that are shock-frozen immediately after harvesting to preserve vitamins and minerals – without any additives.
Yes, we offer at least four special diets:
- Basic allergy food
- Low-fructose diet
- Gluten-free food
- Gluten-free food without milk and without egg
Depending on the region and requirements, there are up to two menus to choose from for each special diet. Talk to us. We will take care of it.
Yes, we also offer adapted meals for children with allergies and intolerances. For breakfast and afternoon meals, we provide special alternatives based on diet-tested, centralized menus.
To ensure the safety of ingredients and maintain high quality, the selection of suitable products is limited. We therefore work with a two-week menu plan for breakfast and afternoon meals and an eight-week menu plan for lunch.
We attach great importance to ensuring that children with special nutritional needs are well and safely looked after.
The “i” stands for “Information”. Click on it for detailed information such as nutritional values and allergens for the menu.
Yes, you can provide feedback on the menus you have ordered within three days of the delivery date.
This is how it works:
- Click on the “Order food” button and log in.
- The menu opens.
- Select the dish and click on the speech bubble icon to give your feedback.
- You can rate the food and service with a smiley and use the slider to answer questions.
For more extensive feedback or questions, please contact our Service Center. Thank you for your support!
Yes, we are always happy to receive food requests from children and parents.
Requests can be forwarded to us via the food commissions in daycare centers and schools or directly via our service center. We are happy to integrate new ideas into our menus after checking their feasibility.
The transponder or barcode card is used at the food counter to quickly and easily identify which menu is intended for the child. This ensures that every child receives the meal they want.
In most daycare centers, the facility or the provider decides which caterer supplies the food. This is often done as part of a public tender.
If you would like to exert influence or express wishes, please speak to the daycare center management. They can pass on your concerns to us or the responsible provider.
The sustainable use of food is particularly important to us at VielfaltMenü. We are constantly working to avoid waste by adapting recipes, optimally planning meal quantities and promoting awareness among our employees for the careful use of food.
We send uncollected or leftover food to biogas plants – as all caterers are legally obliged to do. In this way, we ensure that leftovers are also put to good use.
We do not offer a general sample menu, as our menus are individually tailored to each facility.
You will need your customer number and password to view the meal plan for your facility. You can then log in online and call up the current plan.
Out of love for the environment, we are reducing paper waste and eliminating printed menus as far as possible.
Our digital menus are always up to date and you can access them online anytime, anywhere.
The number and letter combinations in the menu indicate allergens and additives. This information is required by law so that you as parents always know exactly what is in the food – an important advantage for more transparency and safety, especially in the case of allergies and intolerances.
Even if the additional information makes the plan appear somewhat more complex, it provides you with clear and reliable guidance. The labeling is also regularly checked by the Food Inspection Office to ensure the highest standards.
Payment
The financing of nursery and school meals varies in Germany, as education is a matter for the federal states. Prices and subsidies for meals therefore vary from state to state.
In addition to subsidies from the federal states and local authorities, parents also bear part of the costs. However, support is available for low-income families: in such cases, the costs of lunchtime meals are covered by the education and participation package. In this way, we ensure that all children have access to a balanced lunch.
- Go to the meal plan and click on the “My account” tab.
- Log in via “Login”.
- Select the period using the calendar symbol or search directly for the invoice number.
- You can also print out invoices.
Note: Invoices are available in the system for a maximum of 18 months and can only be viewed and printed in the desktop view of the website. This is currently not possible in the mobile view of the website or in the app.
You can top up your customer account by paying in advance (prepaid). This credit enables you to take part in the meal. Please ensure that you top up your credit balance in good time, taking into account the bank working days.
With the SEPA direct debit scheme, the lunch money is automatically debited from your account. You will receive an e-mail notification in advance informing you of the exact amount and the debit date.
The direct debit is always made at the beginning of the following month so that you can keep track of your payments. This procedure is simple, secure and convenient.
You can find the amount of your credit under the “Order food” button.
The education package (also known as Bildung und Teilhabe BuT) helps children, teenagers and young adults from families with little money. It enables participation in school and leisure activities, such as communal lunches in schools or daycare centers.
Many cities and municipalities also offer vouchers or discounts. Find out more locally or from the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. There you will find an overview of regional contact points.
There can be various reasons for this:
- The approval period may have expired.
- The BuT notification may not have been submitted to us until after the monthly statement.
Unfortunately, retroactive consideration is not possible. In such cases, please contact your responsible BuT office directly to clarify the matter.
Your account details are required if the BuT grant period ends and further payment needs to be arranged.
Account details are also required for kindergarten children, as breakfast and snacks usually have to be paid for by the parents. The BuT only covers lunch. Please note that the regulations may vary depending on the federal state.
We are sorry if you wish to cancel and would like to make the process as easy as possible for you:
Online contracts: Cancel via the website or the VielfaltMenü app in the “Manage profile” section. Log in, click on the button with your name and follow the instructions.
Contracts in writing: Send your notice of termination by e-mail, post or fax.
The notice period can be found in the General Terms and Conditions (GTC), which you received either in paper form with your registration or as a PDF when you registered online.
Technical questions
You can simply order the food in the following ways:
- Computer: With Internet access, activated cookies and JavaScript.
- Smartphone or tablet: Either via our optimized website vielfaltmenue.com or via the free VielfaltMenü app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
The system is regularly tested with the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari.
We cannot guarantee the functionality of other browsers such as BitBox, Iron or Opera.
Yes, this is possible. You may need a PDF reader program such as Adobe Reader or a similar PDF reader. This allows you to print menus and invoices directly from your computer.
Unfortunately, this function is currently not available on mobile devices.
If you have any problems, our service center will be happy to help you. Please enter your customer number so that we can help you quickly and efficiently.
- Phone: +49 3494 66 94 400
- E-mail: servicecenter@vielfaltmenue.com