Healthy lifestyle – Part II

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

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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?