The ball started rolling when Fauve Demeester requested the ingredients list for the hot meals at her daughter’s nursery. “I was shocked when I saw that salt and sugar were regularly added,” she says. “Frustrating, because at home my daughter is only served pure dishes.”
The hot meals at the municipal nurseries and schools have been prepared since 2017 by Destelbergen-based Culinor. It cooks according to recommendations from the Superior Health Council and Kind & Gezin. Food for babies up to one year old contains little salt. The specifications also stipulated that the use of salt and sugar should be kept to a minimum. For example, adding sugar to tomato soup to neutralize its sour taste was allowed. Following complaints from Demeester and other parents, this has now been discontinued.
“We are always open to adjustments,” says Alderman for Youth Elke Decruynaere (Groen), who advocates organizing school meals at the Flemish or federal level. “But they have to taste good to the children and be affordable for all parents.”
Source: De Standaard