How can I make healthy and sustainable choices in the school canteen? Are smoothies healthy? Has my lunch been produced sustainably? These are all questions that young people often don’t think about straight away. And yet, the way a dining environment is designed does influence their choices.
Since 2003, hundreds of schools have been working to make their school canteens healthier in line with the guidelines issued by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Make sure, then, that the canteen menu consists mainly of healthy snacks that are presented in an eye-catching and appealing way. This will give pupils a nudge in the right direction. What’s more, a healthier canteen is more sustainable, as it offers a relatively smaller selection of meat, dairy and processed foods, and a wider range of vegetables, fruit and (tap) water. Would you like to know how healthy your school’s canteen is? And what could be improved? Then take the Canteen Scan. Do you need help setting up a healthy canteen? If so, please get in touch (free of charge) with the Food Environment Advisers at the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Visit gezondeschoolkantine.nl or get in touch with the JOGG team.
