This time I would like to raise the topic of healthy food in school canteens, because while the growing number of school children are putting on weight the governments round the globe are considering how to deal with the problem.
Different eating habits and traditions connected with cooking and eating round the world show that children at schools have also different things to eat. But nowadays, the tendency is to limit the products high in fat, sugar and salt to prevent children from obesity. What is more, some products, like chips for example can be served once or twice a week and in most cases vegetables, fruit milk and water are offered to every meal. There are also tv and radio campaigns against fast food and to promote healthy eating habits.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x43jz_ANd0Q
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x43jz_ANd0Q
-----------------In Colombia for example children can have one hot meal during the school day or a series of light snacks. If the school provides one hot meal it is in most cases soup, rice or pasta, and if it a series of snacks these are pieces of fruit, juice, cakes or sandwiches. What is worth mentioning is the fact that the amount of calories, vitamins and nutritional content is set by the Health Ministry and it must be obeyed in all schools.
Spain
In Spain omelettes, salads, rice, meat, fish and pasta is on the menu, but children can also have hamburgers if they want, but only once a week. Generally, children get two courses, but they cannot choose what they want, because the menu is set for the whole week so that the parents know what their children eat every day. It is because lunch is the main and most important meal of the day. It is said that Spain’s school dinners are winners, because for desserts children can have natural yoghurt, juice or a fruit. What is more the meals are also adapted for those children who are on special diets. http://www.elanguages.org/files/104684
Japan
Among the dishes served in a school canteen are tofu stew, rice, various vegetables, soups, frozen yoghurt or milk. In high schools there are canteens which serve noodles and curry, but they cannot offer burgers or chips. The menu is planned by dieticians and changes every day. But most children bring their own lunches with them, they contain cold rice balls, meat or fish or boiled vegetables.
Sweden
Schools serve meals which have defined proportions, a balanced meal should include one-third of meat or fish, one –third of pasta or rice and one-third of fruit and vegetables. But in most cases lunches are served as buffets, children can have as much as they want. For drink they are served milk or water and for bread low-fat margarine. A typical lunch includes meatballs with potatoes, fish with a mixed salad.
In most cases round the world there is a tendency to reduce fats and junk foods in schools canteens, there are a lot of different restrictions like for example in Scotland where children can have chips but no more than twice a week. In Australia for example, schools use so called traffic-light system which is supposed to limit the sale of red-labeled foods which are high in fat, sugar and salt.
Questions:
1) Do you think that restrictions in school canteens are a good idea to prevent children from being overweight?
2) Should the shops at schools sell snacks, pastries, fizzy drinks etc. or only healthy food?
3) Did you eat school lunches or did you bring your own lunch from home?
4) What do you usually have for lunch?
5) What do you think of our school’s canteen meals?
1) It's a good idea to get young children used to eating healthy food. However this also depends on what the kid eats when he is away from school. If the children is allowed to eat at Mc'D every second day, than he will probably not get used to healthy food, nor he will appreciate it fully.
ReplyDelete2) I think that the schools shouldn't disallow kids to buy sweets at their local shop. They can limit the number of unhealthy food and possibly order those low fat or sugar free sweets. These however are usually a bit more pricey.
3) Most of the time I used to bring my own lunch from home. I didn't like the school lunches, I prefer my moms sandwiches :)
4) Usually I prepare my lunches at home, or grab something from canteen close to the office I work in.
5) In my opinion it's better than most school canteens :)
I thing restrictions are not a bad idea. In ideal world in canteens would be wide range of health and very delicious food, but its not a case. Usually health food isn't cool or taste like $%*& (in young minds :) ), so the problem is to make them believe that its very testy - they don't care about health or fat food. The restrictions are just easy way out.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion it should be possibility to buy some snacks or coca cola. It's not a prison :)
I tried school diner for few months but it was too crowed and food was really bad, so I eat moms sandwiches :)
In this case restrictions are good for children I think. Young people learn which eating habits are good and which are bad, they have to recieve proper informations about nourishment to start healthy lifestyle and learn "good eating habits". Overwieght is a big problem of our times. We should protect kids from eating rubbish stuff like burgers from McD. etc.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion shops at school should sell fruits sandwiches juices but no chips and burgers because it's the easiest way to convince children that there is nothing wrong with eating such a stuff.I remember shop we had at our school when I was a teenager. And we could buy there all these snacks and fizzy drinks. There were also some friuts but kids hardly ever chose them.
For lunch I just eat sandwiches I make at home.
About canteen meals at schools I can agree with Jakub. At my school meals were really bad, tasteless, I remember soup looked like water I think they added just a little salt and that's all.
I am not sure if restrictions can solve any problem, especially in case of children. We all know that the forbitten fruit tastes better. I thnk that we cannot stop children from purching fizzy drinks or sweets by placing a ban on selling them at schools. The school day lasts just for few hours. Later on, children are free to purchase whatever they want. I know some obese people and I remember how they were behaving at school. In fact they were not purchasing candies when other persons were observing them. They were hidding themsleves and consuming enourmous amouns of food in a really fast manner what in fact made them become more obese. I have not been eating lunches at school. I was eating luch at home; therefore, it is hard to assess the cantene meals. Unfortunately, I often eat fast foods for lunch.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to have such restrictions on food in schools. Nonetheless, I'm not sure that if I were one of them, I would eat healthy. There are better things to do than worrying about your diet when you're young. Nevertheless, it's worth a try.
ReplyDelete1.) It's not a bad idea but it also depends on what the kid eats at home. If they eat healthy food at home probably they will eat healthy at school.
ReplyDelete2.) Most school shops sell mainly those articles, that can give a high return/profit
3.) I didn't eat at school.
4.) Usually I eat some sandwiches and I make it at home or buy somewhere.
5.) It's quite nice.
1) Parents haven't control over their children when they are in the school and I think this is good idea for child who eat healthy at home.
ReplyDelete2) Selling healthy food in school shops isn't possible because it has short shelf life.
3) As child at school I had always some food from home. Never eat school lunches.
4) It were mainly sandwiches.
5) It's quite good.
When I was little I went to the cafeteria because there I met up with friends, I think it's a very good way for children to eat. In our school, the food is normal and you can eat but I do not do. I do not have fixed hours of meals, I eat when I'm hungry:)
ReplyDelete1. I dont think it is going to help maybe temporarily. Kids might eventually end up consuming more junk food else where.
ReplyDelete2. In order to give kids a healthy lifestyle. They must know the consequences of consuming those food. Kids must be educated not restricted.
3. I prefer to go to Chinese restaurant near by my school. It has supreme quality with a price that you cant deny.
4. Chicken with rice ;)
5. I eat there sometimes. Its pretty awesome.
1) It depends - for some kids unhealthy food may even be more attractive when it's banned.
ReplyDelete2) The shops at schools should have always a lot of fresh food and eventually some other snacks.
3) When I was younger I always had schools near to my house so eating outside my home had no sense.
4) Now I'm not that lucky anymore. My current school is placed in the city centre so I have a lot of options - my favourite are Chinese and sushi.
5) They are ok but I don't eat there very often.