Food In School Canteens – Being Parents

New social realities (integration of women at work, single-parent families, long distances between home and school, etc.) have led to growing demand for the school canteen service. These should provide children with a balanced and healthy diet.

Will your child start school canteen this year? Here we tell you how school meals should be to cover children’s nutritional needs.

How should the food be in school canteens?

Correct nutrition during childhood is essential to achieve adequate growth and physical and intellectual development, to avoid nutritional excesses or deficiencies and to prevent many chronic diseases in adults, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes , osteoporosis, etc.

Functions of the school canteen

Establishing nutrition education, a nutrition policy, good management of food marketing and parental involvement in school can prevent overweight and obesity, as shown in this article published in Pediatrics .

Nutrition

School canteen meals must guarantee a healthy, balanced diet adapted to nutritional needs, according to the age of the pupils. This should promote health and growth. The main meal should provide around 30-35% of the daily energy intake. Standards establish the quantity and quality of nutrients that should be provided to children. Their respect is essential. It is also very important that, in addition to the fact that the dish is nutritious, it is attractive to the child.

Education

• School canteens should encourage healthy habits, attitudes and lifestyles. The first years of life are crucial for learning good eating habits and the implementation of appropriate eating behaviors will be decisive throughout this period.
• Encourage students to adapt to the diversity of menus. Knowing the food, appreciating its differences, assessing the needs of each of them and learning to eat everything is the goal of nutrition education. In addition, eating food in the company of peers promotes acceptance of new dishes.
• It is essential to teach the child hygienic habits : general cleanliness, hands, teeth, food handling, etc. As well as good manners: using cutlery, maintaining a correct posture, chewing well, using the towel, avoiding speaking with your mouth full, etc.

Guidelines for the school canteen menu

A healthy and balanced menu is a menu that meets energy needs and provides the nutrients necessary for the maintenance of health. He should :

General guidelines

• Ensure a sufficient caloric intake according to age and physical activity. The menu should cover between 30 and 35% of the daily energy needs.
• Contain carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, bread, pasta, rice, etc.). School canteens should provide 50 to 55% of the calories in the diet.
• Do not exceed 30% of the daily fat intake and reduce the intake of saturated and trans fat.
• Contain protein. School meals should provide 10-15% of total calories. This by combining proteins of animal and vegetable origin, as well as by stimulating the consumption of legumes.

• Meet the daily needs of vitamins and trace elements. The recommended intakes of micronutrients, minerals and vitamins should be calculated over a period of 15 days.

Specific guidelines

• Legumes, vegetables, pasta and rice are the staple foods for starters. The main dishes should consist of meat, fish and eggs, alternatively, with a vegetable garnish.
• For desserts, you have to choose between fruit and yogurt.
• It is important not to fall into monotony when preparing menus. A menu can only be repeated every two weeks or so.

• Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables should be at least 5 servings per day. It is advisable to increase the consumption of various fresh or cooked vegetables, both in starters and in the accompaniment of main dishes. Consumption of stews prepared with vegetables, potatoes, vegetables or a combination of grains and legumes should also be encouraged.
• It is better to promote fish rather than meat. Both white and blue fish.
• The bread ration should preferably be complete.
• It is necessary to avoid the consumption of precooked and fried products, as well as industrial sweets and pastries.
• It’s important to eat fresh, unprocessed foods that are in season.
• The menus must therefore vary according to the time of year.

• Parents should receive a copy of the menus, including the type of preparation and composition of sides and desserts.

To conclude

The menus offered in school canteens must meet minimum standards of composition and quality. They should also promote a traditional diet based on the Mediterranean diet with lots of fresh produce, local fruits and vegetables.