When a school has contacted the School Canteen Brigade, the advisors ensure that the largest possible working group is present at the first meeting. “We know from experience and from studies conducted on our programme that an important success factor is that achieving a healthy school canteen is supported by a broad working group. Ideally, this includes someone from the management team, a teacher, a student, a parent, someone from the Municipal Health Service and a canteen manager or caterer. With such a group, we first assess what has already been done and what has and has not gone well. We then formulate the school’s request for assistance.”
One third of secondary and vocational schools has a Healthy School Canteen
Fifteen years ago, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre launched the Healthy School Canteen programme. The programme gradually developed from brochure materials into the deployment of advisors who visit schools and award the coveted school canteen certificates.