Haemstede Barger Mavo actively involves students in its healthy school canteen

In-house employee guides students

School principal Hanneke Notenboom explains that the canteen used to be run by an external caterer. “As a result, the prices were quite high. Students preferred going to the supermarket. That wasn’t what we wanted.” The idea arose to involve the business class students in the canteen. The business class is an educational programme at HBM that prepares students for an entrepreneurial future. The school hired facilities and canteen employee Ilona Pekel to guide them.

Thinking along about the selection

Students from the business class now work with Ilona to develop the healthy selection. They also help with sales. “I ask them what they eat at home, which products they would like to see, and how much they are willing to spend on them,” says Ilona. This led, among other things, to a healthy product of the week: something ‘different from the usual’ that encourages students to give it a try. The appearance of the canteen was also brought into line with the Guidelines for Healthy School Food Environments from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. The route through the canteen now leads past the display cabinet with healthy sandwiches, and there are posters with information about the Wheel of Five.

Extra awareness around fruit

Now that the students have a say in the canteen policy, a healthy school canteen is the most normal thing in the world to them, as stated in the Ambition Statement that the school signed at the beginning of the school year. But not everything is sunshine and roses: “Students sometimes have a hard time getting used to healthier choices. For example, they still eat very little fruit,” says Ilona. “To change that, I want to raise extra awareness on Healthy School Canteen Day on 21 April that eating fruit is a very sensible choice.”

An accessible canteen

Do Hanneke and Ilona have a tip for other schools? “Make the canteen accessible!” they both answer. At their school, this is reflected in Ilona’s approachability when it comes to questions and ideas, as well as in the pricing. Hanneke: “We strive for equal opportunities. Healthy products should be within everyone’s reach, including children whose families have less money to spare.”

Enjoying work through collaboration

HBM’s choices have led not only to a well-run, healthy canteen, but also to a great deal of job satisfaction for Ilona. “I have always enjoyed thinking about food, and I lost kilos by exercising and eating more healthily. Now that I can share my interest with students, I can pursue my hobby through my work.” Her job offers another advantage. Laughing, she says: “I don’t need to bring a healthy lunch from home; I buy it in the canteen. I consider that a luxury!”

Photo: Ilona with two students in the HBM canteen.