All about nutrition in school cafeterias

Children’s eating habits are greatly influenced by school cafeterias, which also give them the nourishment they require to be healthy and attentive all day.

Given how many children depend on school lunches, it’s critical to comprehend the ingredients and effects of these meals on a child’s health. School cafeterias have the difficult task of providing food that is both nutrient-dense and aesthetically pleasing to students, while also managing nutritional balance and adhering to dietary guidelines.

Parents frequently question whether the meals their children are receiving at school are appropriate. Through a thorough examination of cafeteria offerings, we can obtain a more comprehensive understanding of how to promote optimal nutrition for developing bodies and minds.

Every schoolchild should eat cabbage soup, fish soup and rassolnik soup!

How is the school lunch menu created, what are the dietary requirements, who oversees the standard of the food, and who is eligible for free meals?

Let’s discuss how the Russian school nutrition system operates and what is served to students overseas.

• Requirements for the school diet
• Menu for schoolchildren
• Schedule of breakfasts, lunches and afternoon snacks and requirements for the school cafeteria
• Who samples
• Who to complain to in case of violations
• Who can eat for free
• But you can not eat?
• About the nutrition of schoolchildren in different countries

Requirements for the school diet

Schoolchildren’s diets should be appropriate for their age, taking into consideration the demands of their rapidly developing bodies as well as their level of mental stress. Students’ food must adhere to the following guidelines for a healthy diet: it must be balanced, give the body the energy it needs, contain essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and vitamins that are needed for proper growth and development.

SanPin 2.3/2.4.3590-20 lays out the requirements for the school diet in full.

Boiled, stewed, and baked foods are prepared in accordance with child hygiene standards and norms, whereas unhealthy fried foods are not.

The products ought to contain a minimal quantity of sugar, salt, and saturated fats.

Foods high in protein, such as meat, milk, eggs, and cottage cheese, must be served to schoolchildren. A minimum of fifty percent of the protein and thirty percent of the fat must come from animals. Students should consume at least 10–20 g of dietary fiber per day, which can be found in whole grain bread, rice, flour, legumes, vegetables, and dried fruits.

Not allowed in school cafeterias:

• mushrooms;
• smoked sausages;
• vinegar, mustard, horseradish and hot peppers;
• ketchup and mayonnaise;
• palm, rapeseed, coconut and cottonseed oil;
• natural coffee;
• carbonated drinks, energy drinks and kvass;
• curd cheese curds and other cottage cheese products with a fat content of more than 9%;
• pates;
• okroshka and other cold soups;
• navy-style macaroni;
• pancakes with meat and cottage cheese.

Reheating prepared food is prohibited; it is recommended that dishes be served no later than two hours after they are prepared. Food is kept hot using special stainless steel containers called bain-maries.

Menu for schoolchildren

The seasonality of the products and the daily caloric needs of children are considered when creating the menu: breakfast accounts for 25% of the daily caloric intake, lunch for 35%, and the afternoon snack for 15%.

If the average weekly percentage of nutritional value is within the prescribed range, then a 5% daily departure from these standards is permissible.

The menu for food and beverages is decided upon in consultation with the school administration and is created at least two weeks in advance. Dishes cannot be served the same way twice in a row.

Porridge, meals made with cottage cheese, meat or fish, pasta, dairy products (cheese and butter), vegetables, fruits, and berries, as well as a hot beverage, could be served for breakfast.

Lunch consists of a first course (fish or meat), a second course (salad or fresh vegetable), and a side dish (juice, compote, or syrup).

They typically serve jelly, juice, or a fermented milk beverage along with a cream-free bakery item as an afternoon snack.

The school canteen’s menu needs to be available on their websites.

The creation of a customized menu for kids with allergies, diabetes, and other medical conditions requiring dietary restrictions is allowed by sanitary norms and regulations.

When a student has a complex illness, the school is required to provide them with a separate dining area in the cafeteria with a refrigerator and microwave so they can bring food from home and warm it up. Parents of such children are required to submit an application along with supporting documentation to the head of the school.

Every year, the school menu is adjusted to reflect student taste preferences as well as changes in SanPiN.

Schedule of breakfasts, lunches and afternoon snacks and requirements for the school cafeteria

The amount of time the child spends in school determines this schedule. Students are expected to eat once if the shift lasts no longer than six hours. First shift students eat breakfast, and second shift students eat lunch. There are two meals a day for those who study for longer than six hours: breakfast and lunch or lunch and an afternoon snack. They will feed three times a day (breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack) in an after-school program that runs until six o’clock in the evening.

There should be a maximum of four hours of break between breakfast and lunch at school, 1.5 to 2 hours between lunch and afternoon snack, and at least 20 minutes during the eating break.

"Water may be consumed by kids as often as they like during the school day.

It turns out that SanPiN also includes detailed requirements for the school canteen’s space, furnishings, and cutlery! As a result, the dining hall’s area should be determined using the standard of 0.7 square meters for each seat, and sinks are positioned one tap for every 20 seats.

Disposable utensils are permitted in school canteens, along with glass, porcelain, earthenware, and stainless steel plates, cups, and saucers.

It is strictly forbidden to reuse glass and porcelain utensils with chips, cracks, deformations, or disposable utensils.

Every seat requires a minimum of two sets of dishes. Classes are assigned to specific tables.

Who does the sampling

Every day, the school must keep an eye on the caliber of the food and merchandise it produces. A special commission comprising the head of production, the school principal or his deputy, and a nurse is responsible for this.

Every facet of the food block’s operations is inspected (culled), including the menu’s accuracy (nutritional value and portion sizes), the dishes’ expiration dates being verified, and the sample being taken 30 minutes before the dishes are placed on the tables. The following are evaluated while the dish is being sampled: its weight, aroma, taste, and appearance.

The food isn’t permitted for consumption until the inspection is passed; the results are noted in a dedicated journal.

In 2020, the Rospotrebnadzor approved Methodological recommendations for parental control over school meals. Parents are occasionally included in the culling commission. With the help of this document, parents are now formally able to plan their kids’ meals.

Parent committee representatives can carry out all the tasks performed by the inspection commission. In addition, they survey the children to learn about their preferences for food and how satisfied they are with the variety and quality of the options. A lot of schools grade the cafeteria using a checklist.

Parents are not permitted to enter school food blocks until they have been inspected by a medical professional or a staff member in charge of food services.

Parent meetings at the school may cover the findings of the inspections, and they may also serve as the foundation for management appeals.

Children’s growth and learning are supported by the wholesome meals that school cafeterias serve. These meals should ensure a balanced diet by including a range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein to keep kids full and focused all day. In addition to enhancing students’ physical health, healthy food options also help them perform better academically and develop lifelong eating habits.

Who to complain to in case of violations

What should be done in the event that major infractions are found, such as the consistent use of inferior or forbidden goods, the sale of outdated food, or a dish’s disparity in volume and caloric content? You can get in touch with Rospotrebnadzor, the prosecutor’s office, and the territorial education department if the school administration doesn’t reply. The complaint must include the following details: the time, the school’s address, a description of the infraction, a report attesting to the infraction, images, and videos.

According to Article 6.6 of the Russian Federation’s Code of Administrative Offenses, the school administration may be subject to severe administrative liability for a major infraction. This liability could include a fine of up to 50,000 rubles or even a ninety-day suspension of operations.

If a third party is in charge of providing meals, it may be listed on the database of dishonest vendors.

Who can eat for free

Every primary school student will receive a free meal once a day starting in 2020. This needs to be a hot dish; whether it’s breakfast or lunch is up to the school administration, who make that decision based on medical advice. The municipality or region’s budgets provide the money for these costs.

Additionally, certain groups of middle and high school students receive free meals. Children from large families, foster families, and orphans are eligible for this benefit. Students with disabilities are entitled to two complimentary meals per day. And for those of them who are homeschooled, they get paid for their meals or receive a dry ration that is put together using goods that take into consideration the child’s dietary needs.

Parents (or legal guardians) must apply to the territorial social protection authorities to register their child’s right to free school meals. Copies of their passport, the child’s SNILS, certificates, or other documents attesting to the student’s eligibility for a preferential category must also be attached.

School meals are not required

There isn’t a single legal standard that mandates paid school meals in general education institutions, even though the education law and the SanPiN outline requirements for serving hot meals to students.

Therefore, parents can refuse school-sponsored meals if their child dislikes the food and they believe it is unnecessary by sending a letter to the principal stating that they will feed the child hot meals themselves.

The school is not allowed to demand that parents produce any documentation, including medical certificates, in the event that they refuse.

A schoolchild is not prohibited from consuming food brought from home by Rospotrebnadzor. Although the document prohibits using only homemade goods for child-centered meals, it does not imply that a child cannot eat food that they brought with them.

Topic	Description
Healthy Meals	School cafeterias aim to provide balanced meals with fruits, vegetables, and proteins to help students stay focused.
Allergies	Special meal options are available for kids with food allergies, ensuring a safe eating environment.
Meal Portions	Portions are designed to match the nutritional needs of children at different age levels.
Lunch Times	Cafeteria schedules allow students enough time to eat and socialize during lunch breaks.
Pricing	Meals are often subsidized, making them affordable for most families.

For children’s development, learning, and general wellbeing, it is imperative that school lunches be nutritious and well-balanced. When it comes to offering wholesome options that promote students’ development all day long, school cafeterias are essential.

Together, parents, schools, and kids can promote healthier eating habits by emphasizing the advantages of a balanced diet and creating meals that are appealing to children. It’s also critical to instill in kids a young understanding of the value of eating healthily.

Fresh, healthful food is the main focus in school cafeterias, and by doing so, we can encourage students to develop better eating habits that will serve them well into adulthood.

Video on the topic

The quality of food in school canteens is checked in Irkutsk

What do they feed our children in schools, and where do tens of kilograms of food disappear to? Panorama

About food in school canteens

Galileo. School lunches 🍲 School lunch

Khabarovsk. Governor Furgal addresses the issue of children"s nutrition in schools.

DISGUSTING FOOD IN SCHOOL CATERING

What They Feed in Schools Around the World? 15 Countries

Food in School Canteens of the USSR