Nutrition Centre: schools, seize this opportunity to offer healthy and sustainable meals

Reducing inequality between children

When children bring their own food and drinks to school, there can be significant differences in what they bring. One child may be given a healthy lunch, while another eats white bread with chocolate spread or finds only a biscuit in their lunchbox. This may be related to the financial situation at home, but also to knowledge and skills concerning healthy eating. A healthy school meal can reduce inequality between children.

A healthy school meal provides more than just a full stomach

A school breakfast or lunch can also contribute to a healthy foundation for children. It is important that children get all the nutrients they need to grow, learn and play. Research shows that children eat and drink more healthily when their school offers a healthy lunch. Pupils eat more fruit, vegetables and brown and wholemeal bread, and drink more milk and water instead of sugary drinks. In this way, schools can use this scheme to help raise a healthy generation for whom healthy and sustainable eating is a matter of course.

Nutrition Centre helps with healthy, sustainable school meals

A healthy and sustainable school meal consists of products that fit within the Wheel of Five. These include wholemeal bread, low-fat margarine, 100% peanut butter, 30+ cheese, fruit and vegetables. The Nutrition Centre has practical tools at www.voedingscentrum.nl/gezondopschool to support schools in offering a healthy meal.

About School Meals

The School Meals Programme is an initiative of the national government. It falls under the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). To organise this programme, a partnership was established with the Youth Education Fund and the Netherlands Red Cross. The aim is to help as many children and young people as possible in 2023 who need it most. This concerns pupils at primary and secondary schools.

The School Meals Programme offers various options. This allows schools to consider which approach best suits their wishes, pupils and possibilities. When applying, schools can choose from:

• Food at school – the school arranges this and receives reimbursement for it.
• Support for parents/carers with a grocery card. This card contains money that they can use to buy extra food themselves for their children who attend school.