Good school meals - Livsmedelsverket

Good school
meals
Guidelines for primary schools,
secondary schools and youth
recreation centres
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Contents
Foreword............................................................................................. 3
Introduction....................................................................................... 4
Tasty school meals............................................................................ 7
Integrated school meals................................................................. 9
Pleasant school meals.................................................................. 12
Nutritious school meals............................................................... 14
Sustainable school meals........................................................... 25
Reducing food waste.................................................................... 27
Safe school meals.......................................................................... 28
Good food at youth recreation centres.................................. 32
Good food in school cafeterias................................................. 34
Documents which regulate school meals............................. 35
References........................................................................................ 37
© The National Food Agency, Sweden
Uppsala, April 2013, 2nd revised edition
Photos:
Jeanette Hägglund, cover, pages 2, 3, 5, 10,17, 21, 22, 28, 29 and 31
Dan Pettersson, pages 9 and 23
Karin Alfredsson, page 12
Mats Andersson, Fridaskolan, Mölnlycke page 34
Layout: Björn Lundquist, Malmö
ISBN: 978 91 7714 220 1
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GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Foreword
School lunches should be given every chance of
being one of the highlights of the day. School
meals give all students the opportunity to
develop good eating habits and are a vital element in public health work. Students who eat
school lunches are in better position to learn,
and it is possible to use meals as an educational
tool by integrating them in teaching activities.
On 1 July 2011, a new Education Act came
into force which stated that school meals
should be nutritions as well as free of charge.
In November 2011, the National Food Agency
was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Research to work in cooperation with
the Swedish National Agency for Education to
support work with nutritious school meals and
meal design. One element of this work involved
revising the guidelines Good school meals,
which was published in 2007.
These guidelines are intended to provide support for efforts to produce good school meals.
By illustrating various quality areas, this document can also help with policy work and procurement of meal services. As with all procurement processes, this process should only specify
demands which you intend to follow up and
always follow up what is demanded.
This revision of Good school meals has essentially involved providing a clearer description of
the quality of meals from a holistic perspective
and clarified how schools can assess and document nutritious school meals. The sections
on allergies and hypersensitivity to foods and
on sustainable school meals have also been
expanded.
The National Food Agency hopes that
municipalities and individual schools will use
these guidelines to support them in their important public health work, promoting good eating
habits among school students. Giving students a
basis for good eating habits is a way of investing
in the future.
Inger Andersson, Director General
Uppsala, April 2013
3
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Introduction
Meals are important
Food and meals are central elements in our lives: something we can enjoy, a source of pleasure, a social activity
and a bearer of culture. Our eating habits are also very
important to health; for adults and children alike. The
layout and content of meals has significance not only for
health and eating habits, but also a prerequisite
for well-being and learning. A good lunch
at school ensures that students feel
full, so promoting concentration,
allowing them to learn and
ensuring a good atmosphere
at school.
These were just some of
the reasons as to why schools
began serving lunch in Sweden more than a century ago.
A nutritious lunch at school
is particularly important for
some students, and in this way
school meals are a vital element in
efforts to promote equality in terms of
health. So in other words, good school meals
mean better schools for everyone, and they are an important element in long-term public health work.
Opportunities for schools
These guidelines from the National Food Agency aims
to ensure that students receive good, nutritious school
meals that they really enjoy. Of course, each municipality,
school and staff team has to make its own decisions and
plan work with school meals in detail on the basis of applicable legislation.
Good meals are about so much more
than just food, and they do not necessarily have to cost more than
poor ones.
Make the most of the fantastic resource provided by
these meals!
Children’s eating
habits
The National Food Agency’s survey of children’s
eating habits shows that
most of them eat breakfast,
lunch and dinner, and that they
have a satisfactory intake of most
vitamins and minerals. That said, children
consume insufficient quantities of polyunsaturated fat,
vitamin D and iron and too much saturated fat, sugar and
salt. This is partly because they eat too little fish and oils,
and too much in the way of sweets, ice cream, soft drinks
and juice, snacks and pastries. Children also do not eat
enough fruit and vegetables. Such eating habits increase
the risk of obesity, but also of diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. Many students eat far too little for
lunch at school. If all students are to eat a whole portion of
lunch at school every day, the meals have to
be good in many different ways.
The fact that food is crucial to the health, development
and wellbeing of children is also apparent from the UN’s
Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that
“children are entitled to receive adequate nutritious foods
and clean drinking-water, and to have a knowledge of
nutrition” (article 24, 2c and e).
Schools have unique opportunities to
”Ideally schools
promote a healthy lifestyle in a positive,
share a vision of
Meal quality and enjoyment of food
natural way, promoting good eating habits
what
makes
a
good
Good school meals do not just involve the
among students of all age, from preschool
meal. The quality
food on the plate. The perception of what
to secondary school. The basic responsibilmodel in the form of
ity does of course rest with the child’s home
makes good quality in terms of meals may
a puzzle can assist in
and family. But the eating habits of most
differ from person to person. Ideally schools
students are also influenced by other peoshare a vision of what makes a good meal.
setting up a vision.”
ple as they eat many of their meals outside
The quality model in the form of a puzzle can
the home. Children pick up the habits and behaviours of
assist in setting up a vision. This model is made up of six
adults. Good school meals in a pleasant environment give
different fields, all of which are important if diners are to
students every opportunity to eat a lunch at school every
benefit from their food and enjoy it.
day and to adopt a positive attitude towards food and
Some fields in the model – Nutritious and Safe – are
meals.
subject to requirements in legislation. Sustainable refers
4
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
“The layout and content of meals has significance not
only for health and eating habits, but also a prerequisite
for well-being and learning.”
to meals which take into account our environment and climate. The Good and Pleasant fields are vital if diners are
to enjoy the food and the meals they are eating. Integrated
means that meals can act as a resource for educational
activities and form an integral part of the school day. Find
out more in each individual section.
The quality fields can be used as a foundation for developing a local meal policy or an objective for school meals.
5
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
They are also intended to provide support when following
up on the quality of school meals when meals are provided
by the school itself or outsourced.
Responsibility for ensuring that school meals are really
good rests with the school as a whole.
tive. It involves assessment of the nutritional value of the
menu and may provide an alternative or a supplement to
a nutritional calculation. When a school has used the tool,
a results report is generated which provides a foundation
for following up and improving the meals. Find out more
at www.skolmatsverige.se.
Systematic quality work
The Education Act states that every school organiser must
carry out systematic quality work in which activities are
regularly planned, followed up and developed. School
meals are a part of education, so they are also covered by
this requirement.
In practice, this involves having clear procedures for
working with the following questions:
Level 3
Organisation
Level 2
Service and pedagogy
Environmental impact
Staff
­questionnaire
Level 1
Food choice and provision
Nutritional adequacy
Safe food
What was it like?
Where are we today?
The figure shows the various elements of the online tool
­SkolmatSverige.
What should we do?
Where do we want to go?
Work with these questions are continous, since the last
question is also the starting point of a new one.
Systematic quality work requires shared targets and
ambitions, regular quality checks and discussions on
development and improvement. Set up your own targets
for school meals and check quality regularly, ideally once
a term. You could always set up a group to discuss the current situation and come up with suggestions for development and improvement. Remember to involve your diners
in this quality work. More information on how schools
can deal with systematic quality work can be found on
the Swedish National Agency for Education website at
www.skolverket.se.
SkolmatSverige – a tool for assessing the quality
of school meals
SkolmatSverige provides an online tool developed by the
Karolinska Institute and Stockholm County Council on
behalf of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities
and Regions (SKL) and the Swedish National Institute
for Public Health, and with assistance from the Swedish
Board of Agriculture. This tool is based largely on the
National Food Agency guidelines Good school meals and
helps schools and municipalities to document and develop
the quality of their school meals from a holistic perspec-
6
GOOD PRINCIPLES FOR
SCHOOL MEALS:
n The food is tasty and prepared with care. One
or more cooked dishes are served daily, ideally
including a vegetarian dish that everyone can
enjoy.
n Meals are a vital resource in educational work.
Teachers and students are involved in food
related issues and meal quality work.
n Meals provide a pleasant experience in a
secure environment, and they are scheduled
so that all students can eat their lunch in peace
and quiet.
n Decisions have been made on how meals can
assist in the environmental work and sustainable consumption.
n The food served is nutritious and made from
good quality ingredients.
n Kitchen staff have good skills and clear proce-
dures, and carry out self-inspections regularly
to make sure that the food is safe, ensuring
that there is no risk of diners falling ill.
Student
­questionnaire
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Tasty school meals
Tastier food with the right skills
meals are made; from raw ingredients or semi-prepared or
It is obvious if a meal has been cooked with dedication
fully prepared. A knowledge of cookery techniques and
and is carefully seasoned. Cooking tasty, nutritious food
the best methods for the preparation of various dishes is
which students enjoy requires both knowledge and skills.
necessary to ensure that the food is as tasty as possible.
Staff in school kitchens should have some kind of resWhat people in the kitchen know about ingredients from
taurant or catering training at upper secondary level as
farm to table can inspire both students and adults in school
a minimum. Chefs and lunchtime assistants
restaurants.
should regularly be offered further training.
Special meals must also be tasty and
“Cooking tasty,
Exchange schemes with other school restaucooked with care. Listen attentively to stunutritious food
rants are another way of coming up with new
dents who need special meals, and find out
which students
ideas, providing staff with the opportunity to
about their views. It may give you some good
enjoy requires both
develop. Chefs should have an important part
ideas for improvements and recipes. Being
knowledge and
to play in planning menus and devising reciseen as different from everyone else can be
skills.”
pes, even if nutritional assessment is someone
problematic, and this is why many students
else’s job. Places of work that provide opporsuffering from allergies or hypersensitivity
tunities for professional development have more chance of
may find it difficult to point out their own personal needs
attracting and retaining talented, committed staff who are
when they are part of a larger group of students.
proud of what they do.
Pleasant, enjoyable meals affect the atmosphere in
The food should be of good quality no matter how the
school restaurants for both students and adults.
7
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Inspiring and challenging students
Good school meals are meals which students enjoy and yet
that also challenge their preferences – and their tastebuds
– to an extent. School meals are a good way of giving the
consumers of tomorrow a knowledge of food and meals,
and can encourage their interest and curiosity.
Children like the things they recognise, and they eat
the things they like. Their preferences may vary while they
are growing up, and most children are naturally sceptical
about new dishes, foods and flavours.
However, our childhood is also the
“Children like
time when we have plenty of opportuthe things
nity to extend and develop our preferences in terms of flavours. Trying new
they recogfoods without compulsion, and in a
nize, and they
way which inspires inquisitiveness, is
eat the things
important. If, for example, students
they like.”
see chickpeas being served day after
day at a salad bar, and adults and peers keep taking them,
they might eventually decide to try them for themselves.
Adults have a vital part to play as good role models.
Ideally, the school should offer a range of alternative
dishes every day. This can entice more students to eat
school meals and encourage them to eat sufficient of the
food served.
PREREQUISITES FOR
TASTY SCHOOL MEALS:
n The school restaurant have committed, well
trained staff who are good at preparing tasty
food.
n The school restaurant chooses food stuff of
good quality.
n The school restaurant offers one or more
alternative dishes every day.
n The ideas and opinions of diners are taken
into account.
n Students’ curiosity is aroused by allowing
them to try out new flavours and dishes without compulsion.
n Student’s senses are tempted with delicious
scents, a varity of colours and a nice serving
arrangement.
Tempting the senses
Serving food beautifully and making it smell irresistible
are important ways of giving students an appetite and
arousing their interest. Fresh spices to top off the food are
just one example of an element which contributes to the
overall experience. Freshly baked bread smells wonderful,
and it can often be smelt outside school restaurants. You
can add spice to your menu with inspiration from a wide variety of culinary
cultures.
Having lots of different colours and
shapes to choose from encourages to
take more. Offer a varied salad buffet
with at least five different kinds of vegetable or mixtures of vegetables. One
handy trick for encouraging students to
eat their greens is to position the salad
buffet so that students take vegetables
before their hot meals.
There are a number of examples
nowadays of schools building open
kitchens, where the food is served
directly from the kitchen across a counter. This makes it easier to keep the
serving area clean and tidy, and allows
diners to meet the people who actually
prepare the food.
8
“Adults have a vital part to
play as good role models.”
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Integrated school meals
A prerequisite for learning
are intended to give adults and children the opportunity to
No matter what resources schools invest in talented teachspend time together. They help to give children a positive
ers and excellent teaching aids, learning things is hard for a
perception of meals and a natural attitude towards food.
hungry student.
Children need adults as role models to
A good lunch at school ensures that
provide them with support. Sitting at
“But no matter what you
students are full, so giving them more
the same table, eating the same food, is
talk about, spending some
chance of staying focused. This may also
important.
pleasant time chatting at the
help them remain calm in and between
Teachers can encourage students
dining table – and perhaps
lessons. Students and adults enjoying
to investigate flavours, smells, colours
even spending a little longer
good meals together promotes well-­
and consistencies, new foods or differthere than is strictly timetaent culinary cultures. Discussions at
being and give them time for social interbled – is maybe one of the
action.
the table might also look at where our
most important elements of
food comes from and what happens to
any educational meal.”
An opportunity to learn
it inside our bodies, why we need difSchool meals are part of the education.
ferent kinds of food, the environmental
They can be used as an educational tool as well as giving
impact of food and proportions of food on the plate. But no
students energy and nourishing them. Schools are meant
matter what you talk about, spending some pleasant time
to give students a knowledge of a sustainable lifestyle, and
chatting at the dining table – and perhaps even spending a
school meals assist with that as well. Educational meals
little longer there than is strictly timetabled – is maybe one
9
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
“Students and adults enjoying
good meals together promotes
well-­being and give them time for
social interaction.”
of the most important elements of any educational meal.
Meals can be used for educational purposes in a wide
variety of ways. For instance, the menu might tie in with
the curriculum for geography lessons, for example. Many
school students are rooted in different cultures. Culinary
10
traditions change slowly, particularly traditions which
involve celebratory dishes. But there are cultural differences in eating habits even at an everyday level. Meals are
the perfect tool for finding out all about other cultures and
new flavours.
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Another way of integrating school meals with educaSchool meals are produced within specific frameworks.
tional activities is to invite the school chef into the classThe budget, ingredients purchased, environmental impact
room to talk to the students about food and ingredients.
and legal requirements for nutritious school meals all have
Students can measure their own consumption or the
to be taken into account when planning menus. It is important for students to understand these criteria
amounts of food they waste, do practical
when they help to make decisions on menus
work in the school kitchen or visit a food pro“No
matter
what
ducer with the staff who work in the school
and the dishes served. Not everyone can
resources schools
restaurants. A display plate showing the dish
have their favourite food every day, and it is
invest in talented
of the day can also be used, allowing stuimportant for them to understand why.
teachers and exceldents to see how the meal has been planned.
Many schools have food councils, stulent teaching aids,
dent councils, parent councils or other
Schools can also present the nutritional content of the food, or maybe its environmental
teams of people who can contribute to the
learning things is
impact, thereby allowing students to apply in
work with good school meals. Specific views
hard for a hungry
practice the theoretical knowledge they have
on the dining environment, serving times,
student.”
amassed in class. There are also advantages
noise levels, salad buffets, number of dishes
if school restaurants and teachers working
available, the selection of dishes at the cafeteria, etc. are often expressed at the meetings of these
together in home economics classes, as the mealstaff and
councils. Most people are interested in food. As a basis for
teacher can complement one another.
improvements the food council may carry out student surThe interaction between students and staff in school restaurants influence the meal experience. It is important that
veys. Schools can also assess the quality of meals as a basis
the staff are welcoming, and treat their diners in a respectfor discussions. SkolmatSverige is an example of an online
ful way. Meeting the mealstaff and getting to know them
tool which can be used to review the quality of meals in a
will give students an insight into the job and allow them to
number of fields, such as nutrition, organisation and environmental impact.
get to know a professional within the food business.
Scheduled lunchtimes
Some schools have switched to scheduled lunchtimes in
order to reduce stress and the risk of students not eating
enough. With these arrangements, teachers accompany
their classes to the restaurant and have lunch. When everyone has finished eating, they all head back to the classroom
and continue with their lessons. Breaks for playtime and
spending time outdoors are timetabled to take place before
the meal or at some other point during the day. Scheduled
lunches allow students to eat without stress and can help
to reduce food waste.
Involvement results in dedication
Allowing students to get involved in meal-related matters
as part of a school meals council, or bringing up issues in
meetings of class or student councils allows students to air
their views on school meals. When students are involved,
schools also have the opportunity to work with students’
knowledge and values in respect of food and meals. Greater
involvement can lead to students taking more responsibility. As a result, school meals can be an important element
of schools’ democracy work.
Many young people have definite views on what they
want to eat, and why. Passing on information in an educational way on the importance of food for our health and its
impact on the environment, while at the same time respecting students’ own standpoints, requires both knowledge
and understanding.
PREREQUISITES FOR INTEGRATED
SCHOOL MEALS
n There is a consensus at school regarding
educational meals and the role of adults
during meal time.
n Students have influence over the meals.
n The school restaurant is a secure place where
students can meet up and provide opportunities for interaction and discussion between
adults and students.
n School meals are used as an educational tool
in teaching and help to grow students’ curiosity about foods.
n The skills of the mealstaff is utilised by asking
them to take part in lessons on food, health
and the environment, for example.
11
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Pleasant school meals
Besides what it actually on the plate, good school meals are
all about students’ interactions with staff, other students in
the restaurant and the design of the room, the temperature,
smells and sounds. The atmosphere created by the meal
as a whole determines whether it is worth sitting down to
lunch at the school and enjoying it for a while. The school
meal is also a vital part of the work environment.
12
Encounters in school restaurants
The behaviour of both students and adults in school restaurants affects the atmosphere and the sense of wellbeing.
Just as in ordinary restaurants, it is very important for people to really feel welcome. The school restaurant should be
designed so that both students and adults find it pleasant
to eat there.
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Having rules on how to behave in the school restaurant is a good idea, and it is important to make sure that
these rules are followed. The eating environment is calmer
if adults eat with the students. Shy, lonely students may feel
more secure, and unruly students
often calm down. Having adults
“The school meal
participate in mealtimes is valuais also a vital part
ble for older students as well.
of the work enviOne element of communironment. “
cation with students involves
allowing students to view
the menu on the school website or elsewhere. Finding a
“Lunch of the Day” sign in the school restaurant is also a
pleasant, welcoming factor. Dishes can also be displayed
at the serving counter, with signs showing the name of the
dish and, ideally, the ingredients used for it as well.
Timetabling
The timetable should be set so that all students have set,
regular lunchtimes at some point between 11:00 and
13:00. All students must have the opportunity to sit at the
table for about 20 minutes so that they have enough time
to eat, but also time to chat with their friends. Add to that
the time it takes for them to get their meals and return their
plates afterwards.
PREREQUISITES FOR PLEASANT
SCHOOL MEALS:
n Diners and staff in school restaurants treat one
another with respect.
n Students are welcomed into the school restau-
rant with information on that day’s lunch.
n Lunch at school is timetabled so that:
– every student eats at the same time every
day
– lunch is served between 11:00 and 13:00
– all students have about 20 minutes.
n The school restaurant is designed in a manner
that appeals to students.
n Queuing times are kept as short as possible.
n Noise levels in the school restaurant is kept as
low as possible.
n The school restaurant have well thought-out
logistics so that diners who are sitting and
eating are not disturbed by people queuing or
passing by.
Layout of the premises
Clean, fresh, pleasantly decorated rooms can influence
appetite and well-being. Plants, screens and decent lighting can all be used to screen off the school restaurant and
make it feel a bit more homely. The amount of noise in
the room also affects the whole eating experience. A wide
range of soundproofing fabrics or other sound attenuating materials are available nowadays which can be placed
on ceilings, walls, floors, under or on tables, under chair
legs and elsewhere. The noise of clattering plates can be
avoided by positioning the plate return area off to one side.
All students can stay as long as they need to if there are
enough seats. Use adjacent premises if necessary.
Physical and social shortcomings make it harder for students to pick up good eating habits. Stress and noise in
school restaurants, a sense of exclusion, fights and bullying can all result in students not wanting to eat at school.
This is a work environment problem, and student safety
representatives and adults at the school should deal with
the situation.
In Years 7 to 9 and at upper secondary level, student
safety representatives are appointed to represent students
in work environment initiatives at the school. Representatives have to monitor students’ work environment, report
on any shortcomings and pass on any views and requests
to the school’s work environment officer.
“All students must have the opportunity to sit
at the table for about 20 minutes so that they
have enough time to eat, but also time to chat
with their friends.”
13
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Nutritious school meals
Nutritional recommendations
Nordic nutritional recommendations (NNR 2012) gives
Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for nutrient and energy
intakes for both sexes and various age groups. These recommendations are also the official national nutritional
recommendations in Sweden. They have been devised so as
to promote good health and reduce the risk of dietrelated
illness. NNR 2012 is basad on systematic reviews of scientific literature, involving a large group of scientific experts.
The recommendations have been revised every 8th year.
There are no major differences between nutritious food
for children and nutritious food for adults, but the nutritional content of food is particularly important for young
people who are growing and developing. Ideally, our daily
food intake should be split over three main meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – with a few snacks between meals.
Breakfast should provide 20–25 per cent of the day’s energy
intake, lunch 25–35 per cent and dinner 25–35 per cent.
The rest can come from one to three snacks.
Energy and nutritional content of lunch
Ordinary, varied food often provides a good mix of nutrients in the right quantities. However, it is harder to get the
right amounts of some nutrients in a meal. Saturated and
unsaturated fats, fibre, vitamin D and iron are just a few
examples.
“There are no major differences between nutritious
food for children and nutritious food for adults, but the
nutritional content of food
is particularly important for
young people who are growing and developing.”
14
The composition and nutritional content of meals varies
from meal to meal and from day to day. It is appropriate
for an average school lunch to provide around 30 per cent
of students’ reference value for energy intake and DRVs
of vitamins and minerals. The average should include all
lunches at schools over at least four consecutive weeks.
Some nutrients are particularly important to school-age
children and should therefore be included in the assessment
of the nutritional content of school meals. Reference values
corresponding to approximately 30 per cent of the DRVs
for these nutrients are shown in Table 1. These reference
values are produced at group level, and the actual energy
requirement differs from individual to individual. The reference values may need to be adapted if many of the students
at the school are particularly active or particularly inactive.
Based on the energy content in a portion of lunch for 10
to 12-year olds, the portion size for other age groups is calculated using conversion factors of 0.8 for 6 to 9-year-olds,
1.1 for 13 to 15-year-olds and 1.2 for 16 to 18-year-olds.
Nutritional aspects of particular significance
Carbohydrate quality
Carbohydrates in food should be of good quality; or, in
other words, come from foods which provide energy but
other important nutrients as well. Whole meal bread, root
vegetables, vegetables and fruit are good sources of carbohydrates as they provide fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and
minerals as well as energy. Wholegrain is found in grain
products and can be both wholegrains and grains that
have been crushed or milled to make wholegrain flour. The
important thing is to make sure that the grain is included;
endosperm, germ and bran. Research has shown that people who eat a lot of wholegrain run less risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and possibly also cancer.
Foods which are rich in sugar, such as soft drinks and
sweets, give you a lot of energy but few nutrients. Particularly sweet drinks (soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, drinks
served with meals) may contribute to the development of
obesity. Sugar and grazing on snacks also increase the risk
of tooth decay.
Many children in Sweden eat too much sugar and not
enough fibre and wholegrain. This
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Table 1. Age-specific reference values for energy and nutritional content in the average school lunch, equivalent to 30 per cent of the recommended daily intake (RI) in accordance with Nordic nutritional recommendations 2012.
Age (years)
6–9
10–12
13–15
16–18
Energy per portion (MJ)
30 %
(25–35 %)
2.1 (1.7–2.4)
2.7 (2.2–3.1)
3.1 (2.5–3.6)
3.3
(2.7–3.8)
Energy per portion (kcal)
30 %
(25–35 %)
500
(415–580)
645
(535–750)
735
(610–855)
790
(655–920)
14–22
18–29
21–33
22–36
Fat (25–40 E%) (g)
Saturated fat (10 E%) (g)
Max.
6
7
8
9
3–6
4–7
4–8
4–9
Carbohydrates (45–60 E%) (g)
55–73
71–95
81–108
87–116
Protein (10–20 E%) (g)
12–24
16–32
18–36
19–39
Polyunsaturated fat (5–10 E%) (g)
Fibre (g)
6
8
9
10
Vitamin D (µg)
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
Vitamin C (mg)
12
15
23
23
Folate (µg)
39
60
90
120
Iron (mg)
Salt (g)
Max.
2.7
3.3
4.5
4.5
1.2*
1.8*
1.8*
1.8*
* Should be used as a long-term target as this may be difficult to achieve in practice at present. 1.8 g of salt is equivalent to 0.7 g of sodium.
is why it is a good thing if schools can give students the
opportunity to learn to enjoy wholegrain products. Schools
should not provide confectionery of any kind, but should
instead make it easy for students to make healthy choices.
That said, however, a well planned menu may include
ketchup or preserves as side dishes with meals such as meatballs and black pudding.
Foods sweetened using sweeteners provide no
sugar­based energy, but they frequently fail to provide nutrients either. It is unnecessary for children to
get used to sweet flavours, whether they are derived
from sweeteners or from sugar.
Fat quality
Fat is needed to help our bodies absorb certain vitamins and for our food to give us
sufficient energy. It can also highlight many
flavours and affect the texture of our food.
Fats are normally divided into saturated fat and
unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
Polyunsaturated fats are essential, which means that we
have to get them from food as our bodies are unable to
manufacture them. Research has shown that switching to
more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fat in our food
reduces the riskfactors of cardiovascular disease.
Swedish children do not eat enough polyunsaturated fat
and eat more saturated fat than recommended. This is why
it is important for school lunches to be of good fat quality.
Good fat quality means more unsaturated fat (particularly
polyunsaturated fat) and less saturated fat.
Common sources of polyunsaturated fat are oily fish
(such as salmon, mackerel and herring), oils and liquid and
spreadable fats based on rapeseed, maize or sunflower oil,
for example.
Sausage, minced meat products, cheese, butter and other
fatty dairy products. are common sources of saturated fat.
To increase our intake of polyunsaturated fat, it is a good
idea to serve oily fish frequently and to use fats containing
a large proportion of oil in our food and on our bread.
You can also make your own dips with oil to have with
bread. Why not try making a chickpea dip? Salad buffets
also provide good opportunities for encouraging people to
eat more unsaturated fat in the form of oil in dressings and
pickles, for example. Oil or good quality liquid fats are
recommended for cooking, especially those which
meet the criteria for the Keyhole symbol.
Skimmed milk, skimmed sour milk and low-fat
yogurt are recommended as a way of reducing our
intake of saturated fat, instead of fattier dairy
products. When cooking, some of the cream can
be replaced with milk. If fattier milk is served ­and/
or more saturated fat is used in cooking and as a
spead, this can be compensated in a varity of ways.
For instance, one sausage dish per month can be
swapped for oily fish and more sauces based on
vegetables and oil, such as tomato sauce, can be
served instead of sauces
and dishes made with
cream and cheese.
15
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
STUDENTS FROM THE AGE OF 10 AND ADULTS are
recommended to consume at least 500 grams of
fruit and vegetables per day (5 to 10-year-olds: 400
grams). Most people eat less than this. To increase
the intake of fruit and vegetables at lunch, a varied
and inviting salad buffet can be placed first in the
serving line, and fruit, vegetables and pulses can be
included in the cooked food as well. Teachers may
also have an important part to play in making students more interested in fruit and vegetables.
Folate
Calcium
Folate (or folic acid) is needed for cell metabolism and the
formation of red blood cells. A shortage of folate leads to
anaemia. Dark green leafy vegetables and various kinds
of cabbage, beans, chickpeas, lentils, fruits
and berries are the best sources of
folate. Wholegrain products, sour
milk and yoghurt also contain
a relatively large amount of
folate. Folate is susceptible
to heat and does not tolerate
warming particularly well.
There is a risk that children
and adults who eat too few
vegetables will not get enough
folate.
If school lunches include at
least 100 grams of vegetables and wholegrain
products and milk products as well, this will generally supply sufficient amounts of folate.
Calcium is needed to build a strong skeleton and teeth.
Nearly all Swedish children get enough calcium. For
children aged over six, half a litre of milk, sour milk and
yoghurt per day is enough to meet their need for calcium.
Milk, cheese and other dairy products in their food are
also included. One or two slices of cheese gives about as
much calcium as one decilitre of milk. Leafy greens such as
broccoli and spinach are also rich in calcium. The leaner
hard cheese is, the higher its calcium content. All alternatives to milk (such as oat or soya drink) should be
enriched with calcium, riboflavin (vitamin
B2) and vitamin D.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D has many important functions in the body,
among them helping to strengthen the skeleton. Many
children do not get enough vitamin D, and it can be difficult to make school lunches sufficiently rich in vitamin
D. This is particularly true of menus which do not include
fish.
Oily fish such as herring, salmon and mackerel are very
rich in vitamin D, but this vitamin can also be found in
lean fish, poultry and eggs. Other very important sources
are liquid and spreadable fats
“Many children do
enriched with vitamin D and
enriched milk. For a menu to
not get enough
provide sufficient vitamin D, it
vitamin D, and it
is important to choose enriched
can be difficult to
foods when cooking and as
make school lunches
accompaniments to meals.
sufficiently rich in
Fat-free, skimmed and semivitamin D.”
skimmed milk (fat content of
up to 1.5 per cent) is always
enriched with vitamin D. All alternatives to milk (such as
oatmilk or soya drink) should be enriched with calcium,
riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin D.
16
Iron
One of the functions of iron is to
make sure that the red blood cells
can transport oxygen around the
body to the brain and muscles. In
studies, iron deficiency has shown
links with poorer performance at
school. Good sources of iron are offal
such as liver and black pudding, meat (especially beef and
lamb), eggs, beans, wholemeal bread, wholemeal rice, millet, fortified cereals and most dark green leafy vegetables
(such as broccoli, kale and spinach). There is also a kind
of traditional crispbread “paltbröd” with a good iron content since it has blood as an ingredient.
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
In any vegetarian diet, it is important to have iron-rich
sources of protein such as beans, peas and lentils. Milk and
cheese are rich in protein and nutrients but contain very
little iron. Phytic acid is a mineral binding compound found
in most iron-rich vegetables which inhibits the absorption of iron. Phytic acid can be broken down by long-term
proving of bread, e.g. sourdough, or by soaking and germination of legumes and pulses. Vitamin C from fresh fruit
and vegetables, for example, increases the body’s absorption of iron from vegetable sources. Traditional vegetarian
diets also include lacto-fermented vegetables, which may
improve iron absorption.
Salt
Children and adults consume more salt than is good for
them. This is why it is a good idea to get children used to
having less salt in their diet right from their earliest years.
The national target for salt
intake among adults is six grams
“Fresh herbs,
of salt per day. This is equivagarlic, ginger,
lent to around one teaspoonful
chilli, lemon and
of salt per day, or around two
lime are examples
grams of salt in a lunch. Most of
of flavour enhancthe sale in our diets comes from
ers which can be
processed meats, bread, cheese
used to partially
and ready meals. The best thing
to do is choose foods with a
replace salt.”
lower salt content. The criteria
for labelling with the Keyhole symbol include a limited salt
content.
It is also important only to add moderate amounts of
salt when cooking, and the salt used should be enriched
with iodine. Soy sauces, mixed spices and broths contain a
lot of salt. Use low-salt broths.
Fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, chilli, lemon and lime are
examples of flavour enhancers which can be used to partially replace salt. To reduce students’ salt intake, it is a
good idea not to have salt and spice blends containing salt
available in the school restaurant.
food, and also with the assistance of the people who serve
or eat with the children every day.
Different meals provide different types of nutrients.
Previous guidelines used to include serving frequencies for
all kinds of dishes, but in order to encourage more vegetarian dishes and people’s own choice of meat varieties, Table
2 shows only the serving frequencies for the dishes with
the most nutritional importance: fish, sausage and black
pudding/liver.
Menu planning
Good food choices
The lunchtime selection of dishes should include the following every day:
These suggestions for food choices have been produced
to assist with the planning and preparation of nutritious
school meals and are shown in Table 2. Children´s nutritional habits and preferences have been taken into account
to make it easier to cook meals that are accepted and
appreciated. It is possible to comply with nutritional recommendations in other ways as well, and all schools are
free to use these guidelines to whatever extent they prefer.
The food choices are linked with one another as different
foods can be sources of the same nutrients. Find out more
in the section entitled Nutritional aspects of ­particular
significance.
l one
or more cooked dishes, ideally including a vegetarian dish that everyone can enjoy
l a salad buffet containing at least five different varieties
l bread and spreadable fat
l milk and water
To be able to offer meals which are both nutritious and
tasty and which students like, menus should be planned
in close cooperation with the staff who are to prepare the
17
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Table 2. Suggestions for good choices of foods when planning nutritious school menus.
Food group
Vegetables, root
vegetables and
fruit
Legumes (lentils,
beans, peas, soya
products, tofu)
Potatoes, pasta,
rice, bread and
other cereals
Fish
Recommendation
At least 100 g of vegetables, legumes and fruit per lunch (in the food
and as an accompaniment)
lServe cooked, raw and pickled vegetables.
l The salad buffet should have at least five different varieties of vegetables, legumes, vegetable combinations or fruit
l Most of the vegetables should be “coarse” vegetables, such as root
vegetables, cabbage, onions, cauliflower and /or broccoli
l It is a good idea to choose “coarse” vegetables from an environmental
perspective
l
Serve daily with the salad buffet, ideally marinated
Should be included in most of the vegetarian dishes
lFrom an environmental perspective, it is good to replace some of the
meat with legumes in dishes such as Bolognese sauce and burgers
l
l
Most of the bread should meet the Keyhole symbol criteria, and ideally
offer several different kinds
lAlternate with whole meal variants of for example pasta and rice
lFrom an environmental perspective, it is good to serve potatoes, pasta
and other cereals (such as wheatberry, oats, bulgur and quinoa) more
often than rice
l
Fish dishes at least once per week
Oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel and herring) at least twice every four
weeks
lHerring from the Baltic Sea, including the Gulf of Bothnia, should not
be served at schools*
lServe oily fish as an accompaniment, e.g. pickled herring, smoked or
canned mackerel, sardines, smoked herring pâté
lFrom an environmental perspective, it is good to vary fish varieties
and choose fish that is compliant with the criteria for MSC or the KRAV
ecolabel
l
l
Meat and minced
beef, pork, chicken
Black pudding or
beef liver/chicken
liver
Choose minced meat with a low fat content, around 10-15 % fat
If semi-prepared or fully prepared products are used, choose by preference alternatives which meet Keyhole symbol criteria (low fat, salt and
sugar content)
lFrom an environmental perspective, it is good to limit the meat
consumption and increase the quantity of vegetables, and also to
choose meat which has as little impact as possible on the environment
l
l
Serve once a month
Chickpea or lentil patties, or another meat dish, are iron-rich alternatives
l
l
* Some fish contain large amounts of dioxins and PCBs, such as herring from the Baltic Sea in the Gulf of Bothnia. Children
and women of childbearing age should not consume such fish more than two to three times a year. Schools should not serve
Baltic herring. Detailed advice on fish consumption can be found on the National Food Agency website.
18
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Food group
Sausage and
processed meats
Fat for cooking
Cream, crème
fraiche, cream
cheese and milk for
cooking
Salt, broth, soya,
herb salt
Recommendation
Sausage with a fat content of more than 10 % no more than once every
four weeks, or sausage with a fat content of up to 10 % no more than
three times every four weeks
l Ideally, choose products which are compliant with Keyhole symbol
criteria (high meat content, low fat, salt and sugar content)
l
Oil or liquid fat with good fat quality**, ideally products which meet
Keyhole symbol criteria
l Fats enriched with vitamin D
l
Limited amounts of dairy products besides milk (particularly ones with
a fat content in excess of 30 %) in cooking
l Milk enriched with vitamin D (mandatory enrichment for milk with a
fat content of up to 1.5 %)
l
Use as little salt and as few spices containing salt, such as broth, soya
and herb salt, as possible
l Use only iodised salt
l Do not make salt and spice blends containing salt available in the
school restaurant
l
Cheese
l
Sandwich spreads
l
Dressings for the
salad buffet
Drinks served with
meals
Most of the cheese used (in the food and as an accompaniment)
should meet the Keyhole symbol criteria (max. 17 % fat and 0.5 g
sodium/100 g)
Spreadable fat with good fat quality**, ideally products which meet
Keyhole symbol criteria
l Fats enriched with vitamin D
l Other spreads containing oil, such as chickpea dip, lentil pâté, pesto or
mayonnaise
l Pâté of oily fish such as salmon or mackerel
Dressing based on oil with good fat quality** every day. Ideally also
pesto and other dips containing oil
l Dressings based on dairy products (crème fraiche, sour cream) should
not contain more than 15% fat
l
Milk and water should be offered every day
Skimmed milk (0.5 % fat content)
l Milk enriched with vitamin D (mandatory enrichment for milk with a
fat content of up to 1.5 %)
l No sweet drinks containing sugar or sweetener, e.g. drinks served with
meals, nectar, juice, soft drinks
l
l
** A higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and a lower proportion of saturated fatty acids in total fat content.
19
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
The Keyhole symbol
The Keyhole symbol is a practical aid when it comes to
choosing food. The Keyhole is the symbol of the National
Food Agency, making it easier to make healthy choices.
Food bearing the Keyhole symbol is suitable for all healthy
people who want to eat healthily, from the age of two
upwards. The Keyhole represents:
less and/or healthier fat
less sugar
l less salt
l more dietary fibre and wholegrain
l
l
Foods labbeled with the Keyhole symbol must meet one or
more of the above criteria. The Keyhole is a voluntary label,
and there may be foods which meet these criteria but which
are not labelled with the Keyhole symbol. Find out more
about the criteria in the regulation LIVSFS 2009:6, the Keyhole symbol.
Nutritious cooking
It is important for catering teams to follow the designated
recipes when they offer menus for which the nutritional
content has been calculated. You can often season food
and make other small adjustments without affecting the
nutritional content, but it is important to check additions
and changes with the person who carried out the calculations. Details such as the choice of cooking fat and the
amount of salt in a meal are of significance to the nutritional content of the meal, and in this instance the catering
team should follow the recipe’s instructions. It is important
to maintain good lines of communication and cooperation
between the person who plans the menu and the people
who prepare the food.
The nutritional content is affected not only by the ingredients used, but also by how they are prepared. Nutrients
are lost for a variety of reasons. Minerals are not destroyed,
but they may leach out into the water in which the food is
being prepared. Vitamins are
destroyed and leach out of the
“The nutritional
food, but to differing extents
content is affected
depending on the vitamin in
not only by the
question. The amount of vitaingredients used,
mins and minerals that leach
but also by how they
out is slightly higher when
are prepared.”
boiling a food which was previously deep-frozen as the cell
walls have already broken down to some extent. That said,
the energy-giving nutrients fat, protein and carbohydrates
are not destroyed during normal cooking. The content of
water-soluble vitamins in particular is gradually reduced
when the food is kept warm. Therefore, food should be
kept warm for as short a time as possible. The appearance,
20
flavour and smell of food are also affected by keeping it
warm. To ensure that food contains sufficient nutrients
and still smells, tastes and looks good, the National Food
Agency recommends that potatoes should be kept warm
for no more than one hour, and two hours for other foods.
A minimum temperature of 60°C should be maintained
when keeping food warm, for reasons of hygiene.
The cooking techniques common in school kitchens,
such as roasting and steaming, are often gentle and help to
minimize nutrient losses. When baking bread, a long proving time and, in particular, sourdough baking are ­positive
as these decrease the amount of phytines in the bread,
which means that the body can absorb more of the iron in
the bread.
The Plate model
The Plate model can be used to achieve a correct balance
of nutrients in meals. It shows appropriate proportions
between the various elements of the meal. The Plate model
is divided into three sections, two larger, one slightly
smaller. One of the larger sections is filled with vegetables
and root vegetables, and the other is filled with potatoes,
pasta, rice or other cereals. Meat, fish, egg or beans and
lentils are placed in the smaller section.
Set out a plate containing the lunch for that day as per
the Plate model to show students how their meals are
planned. All adults participating in the meal can help students to learn to take the correct proportions and make
good choices in the school restaurant.
Soup, porridge, sour milk and sandwiches
A nutritious soup should include potatoes, rice, pasta or
another carbohydrate-rich component plus a source of
protein (or alternatively, a protein-rich spread for sandwiches such as a chickpea dip, cheese or meat). If a soup
has a good energy and nutrient content, in practice it will
be a thick, almost casserole-like soup. Extra slices of bread
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Table 3. Suggestions for what could be included in a salad buffet.
Fibre-rich vegetables and root
vegetables
Legumes
At least three different ones
every day
At least one every day
E.g. carrot, turnip, parsnip,
celeriac, beetroot, cabbage, red
cabbage, kale, Chinese lettuce,
cauliflower, broccoli, corn
E.g. green beans, peas, beans,
lentils, chickpeas, chickpea dip,
lentil dip
Salad vegetables
Either salad or fruit
Fruit
At least one every day
E.g. tomato, lettuce leaves
(romaine, green, iceberg,
rucola), spinach, cucumber,
pepper
E.g. apples, pears, plums, citrus
fruits, nectarines
and spreads also need to be served with the soup, and/or
a dessert such as pancakes. A salad buffet should also be
served with soups.
Porridge, sour milk and sandwiches are best eaten at
breakfast and as snacks. They often provide insufficient
amounts of energy and nutrition to be served for lunch.
However, there may be good reason to serve these types of
meals on certain occasions, such as the traditional Swedish
rice pudding at Christmas.
Accompaniments to meals
The salad buffet, bread, milk and spreads all make a positive contribution to the nutritional content of the meal.
l The
salad buffet should be made up of at least five different components (vegetables, vegetable combinations or
fruit). Of these, at least three should be of the type “fibrerich vegetables and root vegetables”, at least one type
based on legumes and at least one type in the form of either
a salad vegetable or a fruit. It is good if the lunch provides
at least 100 grams of vegetables, legumes and fruit, including prepared vegetables: see Table 3.
l The bread types should be varied, and more than half of
the bread served should meet the Keyhole symbol criteria.
l The sandwich spread should meet Keyhole symbol criteria, with a high proportion of polyunsaturated fat and a low
proportion of saturated fat. In this case, it is an important
source of polyunsaturated fat and provides greater scope
for saturated fat to be included in cooking from sources
such as cream, sausage and cheese.
l The dressing should be based on an oil which meets the
Keyhole symbol criteria, such as rapeseed oil or olive oil.
l Other accompaniments which can be offered on a daily
basis include pasta salad, potato salad and quinoa salad,
tuna, herring, mackerel or egg so that students can put
together their own meals. Here, too, it is important to
encourage students to put together their meals according
to the Plate model.
l Drinks with meals Milk and water should be offered
every day. Milk provides lots of important nutrients, but
school lunches should be nutritious even without milk as
many students are not used to drinking milk with their
meals. Milk should nevertheless be offered to all students
every day as it may be an important supplement to their
food, particularly if they do not eat a whole portion of
lunch at school. The milk should meet the Keyhole symbol
criteria so as to provide maximum scope for saturated fat in
the prepared food, and be enriched with vitamin D.
Various versions of vegetarian
Many vegetarians are lacto-ovo vegetarians, i.e. they do
not eat meat and fish, but they do eat milk and eggs. Lactovegetarians do not eat eggs either. It is easy to introduce
sufficient quantities of protein in a lacto-ovo vegetarian
menu, but it can be difficult to include sufficient quantities
of iron and vitamin D. It is important to replace the meat
with foods which provide both protein and iron. Beans,
lentils, peas, soya products (such as soya mince and tofu)
and eggs are examples of such foods.
21
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Many vegetable affect absorption of iron
in particular. A number of factors stimulate
absorption, such as vitamin C, which can be
found in fresh vegetables, root vegetables, fruit
and berries.
Other factors also inhibit absorption, such
as phytic acid and tannins, which can be found
in wholegrain, tea and coffee. Foods rich in
vitamin C should be included with every meal,
specifically for the purposes of iron absorption. Sourdough baking, a long proving time
and lactic proving of vegetables can increase
the body’s absorption of iron in vegetarian
food.
Vegetarian food should also have good fat
quality, i.e. more unsaturated fat (particularly
polyunsaturated fat) and less saturated fat. In
a menu that does not include fish, oils and liquid spreadable fats containing polyunsaturated fats are important,
particularly the types rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as
rapeseed oil.
To ensure that vegetarian food provides as much vitamin D as possible, it is very important for the milk and fats
used to be enriched with vitamin D. In addition, it may be
necessary to supplement the cooked food with a glass of
milk or an enriched vegetable drink such as an oat drink.
Vegetarian food is sometimes low in energy. It is good to
offer both cooked and raw vegetables and make sure that
the food is not too low on fat so as to ensure that portions
do not have to be too large.
Vegan food
Vegan food includes only vegetables and so does not
include meat, fish, eggs or dietary products of any kind.
Vegan food is entirely lacking in vitamin B12, which is
found only in foods of animal origin. A vegan menu also
includes less protein, calcium, riboflavin (B2) and vitamin D than a menu which includes meat and fish, and it
is considerably harder for the body to utilise the iron in
vegetables. Vegan food requires careful planning, and also
supplements of at least vitamin B12 and vitamin D to make
it sufficiently nutritious. Although a vegan menu can never
be made entirely nutritious, it is important for students
who choose to eat a vegan diet to have a diet which is as
well thought-out possible, allowing them to make the best
possible choices in the school restaurant. Legumes in particular, in some form, should always be included in cooked
food and/or the salad buffet.
The National Food Agency website includes information on what should be considered when planning vegan
menus for school restaurants. Students and carers should
be informed of the fact that vegan food in schools often
provides insufficient nutrition, and if possible they should
22
also be given advice on how to supplement this diet, ideally
in cooperation with the student health service.
Meals for students with special dietary
requirements
The requirements of the Education Act in terms of nutritious school meals also include special diets. Students who
suffer from allergies and hypersensitivity are also entitled
to receive nutritious food which they can eat safely without running the risk of falling ill. Schools must have procedures to ensure that such food is available to them, and
ideally work in cooperation with the student health service with regard to students who suffer from allergies and
hypersensitivity. It is important for students who suffer
from allergies or hypersensitivity to have been diagnosed
correctly so that they can avoid certain foods. Find out
more in the section on Safe school meals. It is important
for good replacement products to be used in food for students who suffer from allergies or hypersensitivity so that
their diets are as nutritious as the diets of other students:
l Gluten intolerance – offer varied, fibre-rich, gluten-free
bread and pasta, sauces prepared using gluten-free
flour.
l Milk protein allergy – use completely milk-free foods
(such as oat or soya drinks) enriched with calcium, riboflavin and vitamin D.
l Lactose intolerance – use lactose-free milk products
or entirely milk-free foods (such as oat or soya drinks)
enriched with calcium, riboflavin and vitamin D.
l Eggs and soya – if the protein-rich component, such as
burgers, are replaced, it is important to replace it with
a food offering equivalent nutrition (particularly as
regards iron, salt, saturated fat and vitamin D). Such as
a minced meat product which contains no egg or soya,
or a vegetarian burger made with legumes.
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
l Fish
allergy – this allergy often results in insufficient
quantities of polyunsaturated fat (particularly omega
3 fatty acids) and vitamin D. Use good quality oils
(particularly rapeseed oil, which has a high content
of omega 3 fatty acids), milk products, eggs and fats
enriched with vitamin D.
Avoid cooking the same dish for all students who suffer
from allergies and hypersensitivity: lactose-intolerant students do not need egg-free food, for example. It can be
difficult to make these dishes nutritious, and they are not
always all that tasty. On the other hand, it is wise to make
sure that thickening agents, seasonings, broths and fats do
not contain unnecessary allergens.
Students suffering from diabetes will receive personalised dietary guidelines from their dieticians at the healthcare service. It is important for the school kitchen to maintain contact with the carer so that the student can make
good choices in the school restaurant.
Some students may need menus suited to their needs and
capabilities if they are disabled. Schools should also take
into account religious demands in terms of food and ingredients as far as possible.
Special diets
Special diets such as LCHF (low-carbohydrate, high-fat),
Atkins and Montignac are not recommended in schools as
they are often devised as weight loss diets which are not
appropriate for healthy, growing individuals. Many of
these diets involve excluding certain foods to a lesser or
greater extent. This can result in a one-sided diet which
makes it more difficult for students to get all the nutrients
they need. Students with obesity problems should receive
personalised advice from the health service.
Documentation
The Education Act states that every principal and preschool/school must carry out systematic quality work in
which activities are regularly planned, followed up and
developed. School meals are a part of education, so they
are also covered by this requirement. Feedback on the documentation must also be provided to organisational level,
i.e. the responsible committee or board.
The content of the food served needs to be assessed or
calculated so as to ascertain whether it does actually contain the right amounts of energy and nutrition. Either the
nutritional content can be calculated in detail, or a simple
assessment of the nutritional content can be carried out
using the online tool SkolmatSverige. The SkolmatSverige
assessment is best used in school restaurants which largely
follow the advice given in these guidelines. Calculations
of nutritional content allow greater freedom when planning menus, but university-level expertise in nutrition is
required to evaluate them.
However, no matter how nutritious a meal is, it has to be
eaten before it can do any good. This is why schools should
also follow up regularly to see how many students choose
to eat in the school restaurant and how many eat a whole
portion of the food served. It may also be a good idea to
document other aspects of meal quality, such as the dining
environment and time available for eating.
This can be done using the online tool SkolmatSverige or
your own assessments and student questionnaires.
Calculation of nutritional content
A nutrition calculation programme, access to nutrition
data and a person skilled in the field of nutrition are needed
in order to calculate nutritional content. Calculations of
nutritional content must include everything offered to
students: food, sauces, fruit, vegetables, dressings, bread,
23
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
spreadable fat and drinks with their meals. However, it is
recommended that the meals are compliant with the nutritional recommendations both with and without milk to
drink. Calculations of nutritional content should be carried out for all dishes served for at least four weeks. Special
diets often do not need to be calculated separately if the
foods excluded are replaced with foods with equivalent
nutritional content: see the section on Meals for students
with special dietary requirements. The exception to this is
when the protein source (e.g. fish, eggs, meat) is left out
entirely or replaced with something completely different.
In this case, a separate calculation of nutritional content is
recommended.
For the calculation of nutritional content to provide reliable results, the following aspects are important.
1 The calculation must take place over at least four con-
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
secutive weeks and to show the average energy and
nutritional content of lunches.
The nutritional content must be calculated for at least
the nutrients specified in Table 1.
The nutritional value of ingredients must be taken
from the National Food Agency Foods database in
the first instance. All composite ingredients (semi-prepared and fully prepared) should have product-specific indications of nutritional content (for at least the
ones listed in Table 1).
The nutritional content must also be calculated for
alternative dishes.
The nutritional content of special diets need only be
calculated separately if the protein source (e.g. fish,
eggs or meat) is left out entirely or replaced with something completely different (or if individual ingredients
are left out without replacing them with equivalent
ones).
The programme should take into account nutritional
changes when food is prepared, or include ingredients
in the quantities in question when prepared.
The calculation must include everything offered to
students, including accompaniments to the meal.
However, it is recommended that the meals are compliant with nutritional recommendations both with
and without milk to drink.
Procedures exist for ensuring that the menu and recipes calculated are the same as the ones served at
school.
The food served should be the same as the food in the menu
for which the nutritional content has been calculated, in
terms of both ingredients used and quantities prepared. It
is important for the people who are to prepare the food to
take part in planning menus and devising recipes, as they
can put their creativity and professional knowledge to good
24
use and help devise really tasty, nutritious meals which students enjoy, but also so as to ensure that the recipes calculated are actually followed and used when catering.
Assessment of nutritional content with
SkolmatSverige
As an alternative or complement to calculation of nutritional content, the nutritional content of school meals
can be assessed using the online tool SkolmatSverige at
www.skolmatsverige.se. This assessment can be carried
out by anyone, even people who have no expertise in
nutrition. This tool performs a simple assessment of the
nutritional content of the menu and the school receives a
report on the results by way of documentation. Menus and
recipes should be documented for this type of assessment
as well.
SkolmatSverige also includes an option for schools to
document other areas relating to meal quality, such as safe
food, the dining environment and educational aspects.
PREREQUISITES FOR NUTRITIOUS
SCHOOL MEALS:
n Serve a complete school meal every day;
– one or more cooked dishes, ideally including a
­vegetarian dish that everyone can enjoy
– a salad buffet containing at least five different
­varieties
– bread and spreadable fat
– milk and water.
n The dishes prepared are planned and presented to
diners as per the Plate model.
n School lunches (including alternative dishes and
special diets) provide, on average, around 30 per
cent of students’ recommended energy and nutrient
intake.
n Caterers can show that the food served is n
­ utritious
by:
– showing that they are following a menu which has
undergone calculation of nutritional content , and/or
– having an up-to-date SkolmatSverige report.
n If the nutritional content of a menu is calculated
centrally, it is produced in close cooperation with the
people who will be preparing the food.
n Schools regularly follow up on how many people
attend the school restaurant and how many people
eat a whole portion of lunch at school.
n No sweet drinks (juice, cordial, soft drinks, energy
drinks) are served at school.
n Pastries, ice cream and sweets are not provided by
the school.
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Sustainable school meals
Our food affects our environment due to greenhouse gas
emissions, eutrophication, overfishing and the use of pesticides. However, food can also have a positive impact on
farmland and biodiversity, for example. Some food has a
major impact on the environment, some less. Therefore,
there is a lot that can be done to decrease the negative
­enviromental impact of school meals.
Meat has the greatest environmental impact. Therefore,
it is a good idea to cut back on meat and increase the quantities of vegetables consumed (such as vegetables, legumes,
potatoes and cereals). Choose fish which has been fished
or grown sustainably, choose more coarse vegetables (root
vegetables, cabbage and onion), buy foods which are in
season and use more organic foods. All food production
has an environmental impact, so it is also important to
reduce the amount of food wasted.
There are a number of ways in which school restaurants can be eco-smart, besides choosing the right foods.
Coordinating transport to and from the kitchen, reducing
energy consumption in the kitchen and sorting waste at
source are just a few example.
Eco-smart menu planning
Good choices of foods can help to reduce the impact of
school meals on the environment. The National Food
Agency has produced information on how to make ecosmart food choices:
25
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
l Cut
back on meat and increase the quantities of vegetables consumed instead (such as vegetables, legumes,
potatoes and cereals). Schools can help reduce environmental impact by increasing the proportion of vegetables in meat dishes, or sometimes swapping a meat dish for
“Meat has
a vegetarian alternative.
the greatest
l Choose meat which has as lit­e­­nvironmental
tle adverse impact on the enviimpact.”
ronment as possible. Different
types of meat have different levels of impact on the environment and affect it in different ways (find out more at www.livsmedelsverket.se).
l Choose fish which meets the criteria for MSC or KRAV
labelling. This guarantees that the fish comes from stable stocks which are caught or farmed in a way that has
as little impact as possible on the environment. Serve
different kinds of fish to reduce pressure on just a few
species. To find out which stocks are stable, check the
Swedish Environmental Management Council’s fish
list. This can be found at www.msr.se.
l Choose fruit and vegetables which can be stored, such as
coarse vegetables (root vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower
26
and onions), and choose delicate fruit and vegetables
which are in season. Coarse vegetables are often grown
in open fields and so have less impact on our climate
than vegetables grown in greenhouses. Using vegetables
which can be stored may help to reduce waste.
l Rice has more of an impact on the environment than
cereals and potatoes due to high levels of greenhouse
gas emissions during cultiration. Choose potatoes in the
first instance, or cereal-based foods (such as pasta), and
serve rice less often.
l Choose foods produced with restricted use of pesticides,
or indeed none at all, e.g. organic foods. This reduces
the environmental impact caused by chemical pesticides. That said, there is nothing to indicate that there
is any difference in the nutritional content of organic
foods and foods produced conventionally.
l Do not serve sweets, soft drinks or pastries. Producing
sweet items like these also impacts on the environment.
This is why it is a good idea, as regards the environment, to also consume fewer foods which are not necessary from a nutritional standpoint.
l Choose liquid and spreadable fats containing a large
proportion of vegetable oils. Rapeseed oil and olive oil,
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Reducing food waste
The Nordic Council of Ministers has produced a
guide on eco-friendly catering which includes practical tips on how catering teams can reduce waste:
Set specific targets for reducing food waste, and
work tenaciously to reach these targets.
l Involve staff and students. Train them and motivate
them.
l Plan purchases when planning the menu, and create
good ordering procedures.
l Keep track of what you already have in the refrigerator, freezer and cupboards. Store all foods by date.
l Food will keep for longer if you lower the temperature in the refrigerators. It is also important not to
break the cold chain. Foods can be used after they are
past their best-before date, but smell and taste them
first.
l Products which are past their use-by date must not
be used unless they have undergone some kind of
treatment that can make them last longer, e.g. cookl
for example, result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions
than butter. Avoid using palm oil, which is often grown
on land which used to be rainforest. This has an adverse
impact on both the climate and plant and animal life.
There are now a number of accredited oil palm plantations where cultivation takes place in a more sustainable way, but there are still not many of them.
Support for the specification of environmental and animal
welfare requirements when purchasing foods can be found
on the Swedish Environmental Management Council website at www.msr.se.
Reducing food waste
Producing food impacts on both the climate and the environmental effect, and this environmental impact has been
to no effect if the food is then thrown away. Surveys have
shown that around 20 per cent of all school meals are
thrown away, half in the form of leftovers (plate waste)
and half from preparation and serving. This waste is
thought to be due to kitchen organisation, poor planning
and communication, a lack of knowledge on how to deal
with leftovers, rules being interpreted incorrectly, and lack
of peace and quiet for students to enjoy their food. Pleasant and tasty schoolmeals increases the chances of the food
being eaten instead of ending up in the waste.
ing them and refrigerating them safely or freezing
them before their use-by date.
l If you have prepared too much food, you can use
it later if you refrigerate or freeze it. Refrigeration
should be started as soon as possible after heat treatment. Remember that the hazardous temperature
range for bacterial growth (which can lead to food
poisoning) is between about +8°C and +60°C. Rapid
growth takes place at temperatures between +20°C
and +40°C, and so it is important for the food to be
refrigerated quickly and safely to below +8°C.
l Refrigerated leftovers which have been handled
safely can be reheated or turned into a new dish.
Spend some time developing good procedures for
serving buffets. Consider how much food you should
set out at any one time. Food which has been left out
at the serving counter should not be reused.
Source: Nordic Council of Ministers
PREREQUISITES FOR SUSTAINABLE
SCHOOL MEALS:
n School restaurants work to reduce waste in the
kitchen at the serving counter and plate waste
as much as possible.
n Schools strive to reduce meat consumption
and promote the consumption of vegetables,
legumes, fruit and cereals.
n Environmental requirements are specified
in connection with the purchasing of foods
(see the sustainable food procurement tool
provided by the Swedish Environmental
Management Council).
n Food are choosen which have as little environ-
mental impact as possible.
n Transports to and from the kitchen is coordi-
nated and minimised.
n The amount of energy used in the kitchen is
reduced to a minimum.
n Waste is sorted at source.
27
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Safe school meals
Anyone serving food to others is responsible by law for
ensuring that the food is safe. Primary responsibility for
food safety rests with the food business operator. Such
companies may be private or public and be run with or
without profits. Find out more about the rules and distribution of responsibilities in the section entitled Documents which regulate school meals.
The industry guideline Handbok för säker mat i vård,
skola och omsorg [The safe food handbook for health,
education and care], published by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, has been produced
to make it easier for comply with food legislation. Everyone working with school meals should be aware of and
apply the industry guidelines in ways appropriate to their
own activities. A few examples of areas referred to in the
industry guidelines are as follows:
l Schools must have procedures on how to deal with, pre-
vent and address risks, and on how all this is to be documented.
l Everyone working in the kitchens or serving foods, students and adults alike, must be healthy and wear clothing appropriate for the task. Just as it is important for
adults, it is important for students to learn procedures
such as hand hygiene. Everyone present in the kitchen
must have a reason for being there, and running around
unnecessarily must be avoided. Food business operators
are responsible for ensuring that food is safe, whether it
is prepared by the kitchen staff or supplied by another
company.
l Food prepared should be kept warm at temperatures
of at least + 60°C in accordance with the guidelines to
the Hygiene Ordinance. The storage time, temperature
and cooling process are crucial to safety and hygiene.
Besides which, the nutritional value and palatability of
the food are reduced while it is being kept warm. Preparing/heating food to temperatures of around 70°C is
an effective way of killing most bacteria.
l If students eat in the classroom, it is important to bear
in mind hygiene procedures at mealtimes, e.g. by wiping
down tables before and after meals using appropriate
equipment.
Students in the kitchen
Involving students in meal-related activities and food
preparation at school is a positive thing, provided that
there are clear procedures and systems for such things. Of
28
course, students who help out in the kitchen are subject to
the same requirements as regular staff in terms of hygiene
and protective clothing, for example. The most important
thing is to make sure that everyone involved knows the
rules and knows what is required to make the food safe.
Trips and preparing food outdoors
Students on trips should be given food which is every bit
as good as the food they get at school. This food can be
planned as part of the school’s menu and, if possible, be
prepared outdoors by the school’s kitchen staff or other
staff who have been given clear instructions. Food taken on
trips must also be safe to eat. As this food may involve different risks to the food served in school, the self-inspection
system should also include procedures for trips and preparing food outdoors. Staff must feel secure in following
procedures compiled in respect of safety and traceability.
Food for students suffering from allergies and hypersensitivity should be labelled clearly so that everyone involved
in preparing and serving the food are sure who should be
given what. It is important to have a practical solution to
allow anyone handling food to wash their hands.
Meals for students suffering from allergies and
other hypersensitivity
Being allergic or hypersensitive to food means being unable to touch food which most other people can eat. The
substances to which their bodies react are often terms
allergens. The most common diagnoses can be found in the
table on page 29.
It is unsafe to serve food to a hypersensitive student
which contains the allergen which the student is unable to
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
tolerate. Foods which claim to be free of certain allergens
must therefore not contain such allergens in any quantity
that would cause an allergic or hypersensitive person to
react to them.
There are special limits for gluten-free and lactose-free
foods. For more information and interpretations of the
rules, please see in the National Food Agency publication
Vägledning till kontrollmyndigheter m fl om livsmedel
särskilt avsedda för personer med allergi eller intolerans
(2012) [Guidelines for inspection authorities, etc., concerning foods specifically designed for people with allergies or intolerances (2012)].
Milk protein allergy and lactose
intolerance
Milk protein allergy and lactose intolerance are
two completely different things. People who are
lactose-intolerant are unable to break down the
carbohydrates in milk (lactose), while people
who are allergic to milk protein are unable to
tolerate the proteins in milk. There is hardly any
lactose in hard cheese and lactose-free milk, but
there is a lot of milk protein. Therefore, anyone who is allergic to milk protein must never
be served lactose-free milk, cheese or any other
form of milk. If an allergic person eats the thing
they are allergic to, this can cause very serious
symptoms and, indeed, life-threatening symptoms.
Type
Allergens
Symptoms
How small a quantity can be
tolerated?
Allergy
Special proteins in food (e.g.
in milk, eggs, fish, shellfish,
peanuts, soya, nuts, seeds and
wheat)
The most common symptoms
are stomach pain, vomiting,
diarrhoea, rash and asthma.
A life-threatening condition
known as anaphylaxis may
occur
Some people may react to tiny
quantities of the protein they
are unable to tolerate. Some
people may even react to
proteins in the air, such as fish
vapour or peanut dust
Gluten intolerance (coeliac
disease)
Gluten found in wheat, rye,
barley and spelt. Common
oats are often contaminated
with gluten (specially prepared
gluten-free oats are available)
Symptoms related to malnutrition, such as growth inhibition
and fatigue. Acute problems
may include stomach pain,
vomiting and diarrhoea
If a person who is gluten-intolerant consumes gluten
equivalent to more than half a
millilitre of wheat flour every
day, this can lead to damage
to the small intestine (which
impairs nutrient uptake)
Lactose intolerance
Lactose (milk sugar)
Stomach pain, gas, diarrhoea.
Lactose intolerance is rare in
infants
Most people can tolerate the
same amount of lactose as is
found in one decilitre of milk,
while this makes others feel ill
29
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Planning special diets
When school meals are prepared, a lot of allergenic ingredients are handled which may cause hypersensitivity or
allergic reactions. The National Food Agency recommends
that nuts, almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds should not
be included in school meals at all as they can cause very
severe reactions in tiny quantities. Other foods containing
allergens such as milk, eggs, fish, cereals containing gluten, etc. are important and common ingredients in school
meals.
30
Hence it is important to have thorough procedures so as
to be entire sure that all students are given the right food. It
is important for the person responsible for meeting special
dietary requirements to have expertise in the field and to
undergo regular advanced training. Remember to involve
students as well. There is a risk of students suffering from
allergies and hypersensitivity to feel anxious or singled out
during meals. It is important to have clear information
and staff on hand who can answer questions at the serving counter. Also try to serve special meals in ways which
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
A few important pointers for planning special diets.
1. Be aware of students’
allergies and hypersensitivities
Updated student
information (ideally with
certificates)
Skills and regular
training
2. Be aware of what
food contains
3. Keep things apart,
and keep things clean
4. Serve the food
correctly
Recipe
Separate storage of
ingredients
Clear information for
students when serving
them
List of ingredients
Purchasing
Keep packaging
Label complete dishes
and foods taken out of
packaging
Separate preparation
surfaces and utensils
Clean the kitchen and
machinery regularly
Hand wash
Staff to ask
Avoid treating students
differently from the
others
Avoid contamination
Avoid nuts, almonds,
peanuts and sesame
seeds in food
will give everyone the same opportunity to choose a seat
and who they sit with. Students suffering from allergies
and hypersensitivity have the same entitlement to positive
mealtime experiences as their friends.
A few important pointers for planning special diets
By far the most common cause of students reacting to
allergens in their school meals is that something has gone
wrong when the food was served. For instance, people
who are allergic to milk may be served a meal containing
milk or cheese. The people who prepared the food may
also have failed to realise that compound foods (such as
meatballs) contain a number of different ingredients, or
that utensils may have not been kept separate, so resulting
in contamination of the food.
If the special food served causes an allergic reaction, the
manager (food business operator) must notify the relevant
inspection authority and, in serious cases, the Swedish
Work Environment Authority as well. The purpose of this
report is to allow causes to be examined and procedures to
be improved, helping to prevent the same thing happening again. The problem may not have been caused by the
handling of the food in the school kitchen: there may have
been a problem with one of the ingredients. If the source
of the allergen is not found in the lists of ingredients for
the food, samples can be sent to the National Food Agency
for analysis so that any incorrectly labelled foods can be
identified.
Find out more in the section on Meals for students
with special dietary requirements with regard to what
you should consider in order to ensure that special food is
nutritious.
PREREQUISITES FOR SAFE
SCHOOL MEALS:
n There is a delegation of authority which
clearly indicates who is responsible for ensuring compliance with food safety legislation.
n The kitchen have procedures on how to deal
with, prevent and address risks, and on how
all this is to be documented.
n The kitchen have special procedures to
ensure that students suffering from allergies
and hypersensitivity are not made ill by their
food.
n There is clear information at the serving
­counter on what meals contain.
n The school restaurants should avoid using
nuts, almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds in
food.
n Kitchen staff have expertise on food safety.
n All new staff receive training on the self-in-
spection system.
n In the event of an incident (where a diner
falls ill or receives food he/she cannot tolerate), a report is written and procedures are
reviewed, and if necessary the procedures are
altered.
31
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Good food at youth recreation centres
Nutritious snacks and breakfasts
Good afternoon snacks and breakfasts provide ideal
amounts of both energy and nutrition. Around 25 per cent
of the recommended daily intake of energy and nutrition is
enough for breakfast, with around 15–20 per cent covered
by afternoon snacks. Two sandwiches, a glass of milk and
a piece of fruit is an example of a good snack for Year 1–3
students. Breakfast may be slightly larger.
Breakfast and snacks should always include three building blocks so as to provide sufficient nourishment:
l Milk
product (or an alternative a similar nutritional
content, such as an enriched oat drink)
l Bread with a filling and/or a cereal product (cornflakes,
muesli)
l Fruit and vegetables
These foods make food easy to prepare and simple to vary.
Ideally, use foods which meet the Keyhole symbol criteria.
Snacks and breakfasts should not include sweet and/or
32
low-nutrient foods such as sweet fruit soups, fruit yoghurt,
juice or pastries. They provide energy but too much sugar,
and they rarely offer sufficient nutrition.
Youth recreation centres provide lunches during school
holidays and on study days. See an earlier section in this
document for more information on the planning and
preparation of good lunchtime meals.
Safe breakfasts and snacks
Youth recreation centres also need procedures for dealing with, preventing and addressing risks associated with
meals. Find out more about the distribution of responsibilities in respect of compliance with food legislation in
the section entitled Documents which regulate school
meals. When food is handled at youth recreation centres,
it is important to ensure that there are good procedures
in place in terms of personal hygiene, and washing hands
thoroughly is the most important consideration of all. It
is also very important to know how foods and ingredients
are to be stored so that they are not destroyed or cause
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
food poisoning. The person responsible for ensuring that
food is safe is also responsible for ensuring that students
who are helping out learn everything they need to know to
make sure the food is safe.
Everyone helping out with the handling of meals, students and adults alike, must be healthy and wear clothing
appropriate for the task. Everyone present must have a reason for being there, and unnecessary visits to the kitchen
should be avoided.
Procedures must also include food when on trips, and
this applies to both hygiene and traceability. The menu and
the trip as a whole must be planned so that staff can feel
secure in following set procedures for safety and traceability. Everyone must also be able
to maintain hand hygiene in a
“Snacks are often
satisfactory manner.
easy to prepare and
There must be procedures
students can help
for handling foods which can
out with them.”
cause allergic reactions. Food
should be stored in its original
packaging as far as possible, but if not the new packaging
must be labelled carefully. It is also crucial to be absolutely
certain that no mistakes can be made when giving hypersensitive or allergic students their food. This is why foods
prepared for people with allergies must be labelled carefully so that veryone is sure who should be given what.
Educational breakfasts and snacks
Snacks are often easy to prepare and students can help out
with them. They provide a good opportunity for learning
about food, hygiene and nutrients, while at the same time
allowing students to practise working together and taking
responsibility for others. Snacks, for many students, are
the first meal that they can take responsibility for themselves at home. Youth recreation centres have plenty of
opportunities to demonstrate what good snacks look like
and how they can be varied. Good role models and a positive attitude towards food and meals are infectious and can
encourage students to try new flavours. Have a good think
about how breakfasts and snacks can be used as part of the
educational activities at youth recreation centres.
Pleasant, tasty breakfasts and snacks
It is important to serve even snacks and breakfast in a
pleasant way. Laying the table nicely shows that the snack
is an important part of topping up on energy and sitting
down for a few minutes. Breakfast and snacks are fairly
alike and do not vary as much as lunch and dinner tend to
do. Even so, it is possible to create all kinds of variations
using different fruits, vegetables, bread varieties and sandwich fillings. Snacks also provide opportunities for students to learn how to combine ordinary foods in new ways
by taking inspiration from other cultures, for example.
33
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Good food in school cafeterias
A cafeteria can be an important place
for students who are in their latter
years at school by providing them with
access to well planned snacks and perhaps even breakfast in the mornings.
It is important for the range of foods
on offer in the cafeteria to be healthy.
It goes without saying that the school’s
“sustainable lifestyle” message must
be apparent in the cafeteria as well.
Guidelines for the range of foods on
offer in cafeterias may assist you with
your work. These guidelines can be
produced by the municipality or the
headteacher together with school staff
and students.
A good range of foods on offer for a
school cafeteria may include:
l Filled sandwiches
l Milk, yoghurt and sour milk
l Cornflakes/porridge/muesli
l Vegetables, ideally cut up for
snacks or on sandwiches
l Fruit, ideally fruit salad sometimes, or fruit cut up
Ideally, use foods which meet the Keyhole symbol criteria. There is not much scope for sugar, sweet things, sweet
drinks and snacks if students are to receive the nourishment
they require. Making healthy choices in the cafeteria must
be easy for students. This is why the cafeteria should not
provide sweets, ice cream, pastries, sweet drinks or snacks.
Cafeteria opening hours
To ensure that as many students as possible eat a portion of
lunch every day, it is inappropriate for the school cafeteria
to compete for “business” at lunchtime. The best thing is
to keep the cafeteria closed while lunch is being served, but
opening it so that students can buy breakfast and snacks in
the mornings and afternoons.
34
Safe school cafeteria
School cafeterias are also required to comply with food
legislation and are responsible for ensuring that all food
served is safe to eat. This means that clear procedures have
to be compiled in order to identify and deal with any risks
involved. Anyone working with food must be healthy, wear
appropriate clothing and observe good personal hygiene
procedures. Washing hands thoroughly is the most important consideration of all. It is also very important to know
how foods and ingredients are to be stored so that they are
not destroyed or perhaps cause food poisoning. The person
responsible for ensuring that food is safe is also responsible
for ensuring that students who are helping out can learn
everything they need to know to make sure the food is safe.
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
Documents which regulate school meals
Legislation
Legislation in respect of food aims to ensure that food
served is safe and that no-one is misled. The rules apply to
everyone who handles food all the way along the line, from
farm to table. The new Education Act, which came into
force on 1 July 2011, demands that school meals at compulsory schools must be both free of charge and nutritious.
The physical or legal entities responsible for ensuring
that the requirements of the two sets of regulations are met
are known as food business operators in the legislation on
food and as school organisers in legislation on schools.
Municipalities or independent schools adapt the distribution of responsibilities according to their own organisation. It is important to have a clear distribution of responsibilities and labour between the boards at independent
schools and the party responsible for food and meals at
schools, or alternatively the municipal committee, administration, head of meals and headteacher, or anyone else
responsible for food and meals within schools.
The food business operator/school organsier may delegate tasks but always bears responsibility for following
up on activities and ensuring that they are carried out in
accordance with the provisions. Anyone who has been delegated tasks must be aware of what they have to do and
have a mandate for, knowledge of and resources to handle
the task. It is important to give feedback to the relevant
committee/board on the results of follow-ups of school
meals.
Food legislation
Safety, honesty and traceability when handling foods
The aim of the EU’s Food Act, Regulation (EC) no.
178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 28 January 2002, laying down the general principles
and requirements of food law, establishing the European
Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in
matters of food safety, is to ensure a high level of protection for human health and consumer interests in respect of
food (Article 1). Safety, honesty and traceability are fundamental concepts in this legislation.
Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) no. 178/2002 includes
the following definitions:
l food
business: means any undertaking whether for
profit or not and whether public or private, carrying
out any operation of production, processing or distribution of food
l food
business operator: the natural or legal persons
responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food
law are met within the food business under their control.
Article 2.1 of the Regulation (EC) no. 852/2004 on the
hygiene of foodstuffs includes the following definition:
l Establishment: any unit of a food business
For a municipality, this means that one board (or more) is
the food business operator and hence bears responsibility
for ensuring compliance with the requirements have been
met of the food legislation. Kitchens at preschools, primary schools, secondary schools and youth recreation centres are examples of establishments in a food business. For
independent schools, the limited company, partnership or
sole proprietor is the food business operator. If the food
business has been procured from a contractor, the contractor is often the food business operator.
The food business operator must apply to the inspection authority (Environment and Health Committee or
equivalent) for registration. Each establishment must have
a system for self-inspection based on the hazards and risks
of the business. This must be adapted to suit the nature
and scope of the business and describe what is being done
in order to meet the requirements laid down in the legislation. Responsibilities also include ensuring that staff have
the knowledge and expertise required to be able to work
safely. The inspection authority’s food inspectors check
that there is compliance with the legislation on food.
Find out more in the industry guideline Handbok för
säker mat i vård, skola och omsorg (The safe food handbook for health, education and care), published by the
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions
(SKL).
Education Act (2010:800)
Education Act
In the new Education Act, the right to free lunches at
school for students at compulsory schools has been supplemented with a requirement stating that these meals must
be nutritious (the Education Act 2010:800; Chap. 10 Primary schools, Section 10, Special primary schools Chap.
11, Section 13, Special schools Chap. 12, Section 10, Sami
schools Chap. 13, Section 10). The new legal requirement came into force from 1 July 2011 and apply to both
35
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
municipal schools and independent schools. The Swedish
Schools Inspectorate is the supervisory authority.
The Education Act does not define the term “nutritious” in any detail. The government has emphasised the
fact that the Swedish nutritional recommendations should
form a starting point when assessing what a nutritious
meal is, and that “...it may be regarded as part of the intentions of the curriculum to provide students with access to
varied and nutritious food and to eat lunch together with
other students and adults”. (Bill 2009/10:165, p. 374)
Systematic quality work
According to the legislative history of the new Education
Act, school meals are to be regarded as part of education
(Bill 2009/10:165 p. 872). This means that the provisions
of the Education Act in terms of systematic quality work
(Chap. 4, Section 3 of the Education Act) can also be
applied in respect of nutritious school meals. Each principal must work systematically and continuously at principal level to plan, follow up and develop education. The
Education Act also specifies requirements stating that systematic quality must also be documented (Chap. 4, Section
6). Therefore, calculation of nutritional content or another
reliable assessment of the nutritional quality of the food
served should constitute a part of the planning, implementation and follow-up of the quality of school meals. There
are also good reasons for schools to include descriptions of
their work with school meals in their over all quality work.
The curriculum
The curriculum for compulsary schools (Lgr 11) states
that schools must stand responsible for ensuring that on
completion of primary level schooling, all students must:
“have acquired a knowledge and understanding of the
significance of their own lifestyles as regards health, the
environment and society”. School meals can constitute a
valuable educational tool in schools as regards lifestyle,
the environment and health. School meals also form part
36
of schools’ social education as they provide time for conversations about basic values and norms and the opportunity to identify tendencies of bulliying and to make sure
students thrive.
Local steering documents
The organisation may make decisions on steering documents in the fields of food and health, and the public health
plan and meal policy may be important documents in this
regard, if municipalities or independent schools have such
plans and policies. A lot of people are affected by the issues
relating to food in schools, which is why such plans have to
be adapted to suit the organisation in question.
Public health plan and meal policy programme
Most municipalities describe their public health targets in
long-term public health plans which are normally based on
the national public health policy adopted by the Riksdag
(Swedish parliament). The overarching public health target in Sweden is for society to pave the way for good health
on equal terms for the population as a whole.
As far as the food is concerned, target field 10 of the
Public Health Bill is applicable: good eating habits and
safe food. One important prerequisite for meeting this
target is to ensure that many organisations participate in
the efforts. Many municipalities have a meal policy programme or meal policy as a tool for working to target
field 10.
The public health plan may also include municipal decisions on the government’s targets and points of focus for
organic production and consumption, as well as measures
for reducing waste and the climate impact of meals.
As well as meeting targets and complying with ambitions, it is important to clarify areas of responsibility and
produce a plan for follow-up. A meal policy can clarify
objectives in areas such as meal quality (e.g. nutritious, sustainable, safe, tasty, pleasant and integrated) and organisation (expertise, mandates, distribution of responsibilities).
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
References
best interests of children must always be given priority.
All children and young people up to the age of 18 have
the same rights to live and develop, grow up in safety,
be protected against abuse and be respected for their
views and opinions, for example. Children also have
the right to receive sufficient quantities of nutritious
food and clean drinking water, as well as teaching on
nutrition (Article 24, 2 c and e). Available from the
Ombudsman for Children in Sweden, for example:
www.bo.se
Student participation, education and the mealtime
environment
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Skolmåltiden – en viktig del av en bra skola. Stöd
och inspiration till skolledare. Livsmedelsverket och
Skolverket, 2013
l
Ljudlig miljö att arbeta med ljudmiljö i förskolor och
skolmatsalar, Swedish Association of Local Authorities
and Regions, 2012 www.skl.se
l
Trivsel i skolmatsalen, Stockholm County Council,
2007 www.folkhalsoguiden.se
l
Bra matråd – ett verktyg för skolans matrådsarbete,
Örebro County Council, 2007 www.orebroll.se
l
Mat för alla sinnen – educational material according to
the Sapere method at the National Food Administration, www.livsmedelsverket.se
Nutritious meals
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Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2012, Part 1,
Summary, Principles and Use, 2013.
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Riksmaten – barn 2003. Livsmedels- och näringsintag
bland barn i Sverige. Enghardt Barbieri, H, Pearson,
M, Becker, W, 2006
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Hälsomålets mellanmålsguide,
www.folkhalsoguiden.se
l
Näringslära för högskolan, Liber 2013.
l
Educational material on consumption, ethics and the
environment at the Swedish Consumer Agency, www.
konsumentverket.se
l
l
Information on food production and consumption
statistics at the Swedish Board of Agriculture, www.
jordbruksverket.se
Read about systematic quality work at the Swedish
National Agency for Education website at www.
skolverket.se
l
Skolhälsonyckeln – support for school health work at
Stockholm County Council, www.folkhalsoguiden.se
Online tool for assessment of school meal quality,
www.skolmatsverige.se
l
Search for nutritional content in the food database,
www.livsmedelsverket.se
l
Education Act, curriculum, Convention on the Rights
of the Child
Sustainable school meals
l
l Education Act, 2010:800.
l
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Curriculum for primary schools, preschools and youth
recreation centres, SKOLFS 2010:37.
Wallman, M, Berglund, M, Cederberg, C, SIK 2013.
Miljöpåverkan från animalieprodukter – kött, mjölk
och ägg. Livsmedelsverkets rapport nr 17, 2013.
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Curriculum for special primary schools, SKOLFS
2010:255.
l
l
Curriculum for special schools, SKOLFS 2010:250.
Förvara maten rätt så håller den längre – vetenskapligt
underlag om optimal förvaring av livsmedel, Livsmedelsverkets rapport nr 20/2011.
l
Curriculum for Sami schools, SKOLFS 2010:251.
l
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General advice on systematic quality work in the
school system, SKOLFS 2012:98.
Livsmedelssvinn i hushåll och skolor – en kunskapssammanställning, Livsmedelsverkets rapport nr
4/2011.
l
Regulations of the Swedish National Agency for Education concerning student participation in schools’
work environment work via student safety representatives, SKOLFS 2004:13.
l
På väg mot miljöanpassade kostråd, Livsmedelsverkets
rapport nr 9/2008.
l
Klimatpåverkan och energianvändning från livsmedelsförpackningar, Livsmedelsverkets rapport nr
18/2011.
l
Food and the environment, National Food Agency,
www.slv.se/matomiljo
l
Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child declares that the
37
GOOD SCHOOL MEALS
l
Environmental target portal relating to the 16 national
environmental targets, www.miljomal.se
l
Support for sustainable procurement of food from the
Swedish Environmental Management Council, www.
msr.se
l
Environental statistics, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, www.naturvardsverket. se
l
Food production environment and climate, Swedish
Board of Agriculture, www.jordbruksverket.se
l
Reducing food waste at the Nordic Council of Ministers, www.norden.org
l
Guidance on eco-friendly meat choices,
www.kottguiden.se
Food legislation and guides
Regulations and guides can be found at or via the National
Food Agency website at www.livsmedelsverket.se.
foods. (This will be replaced by European Parliament
and Council Regulation (EU) no. 1169/2011 of 25
October 2011 on the provision of food information to
consumers, which will come into force in Sweden on
13 December 2014.
l
National Food Agency’s regulations for the labelling of
“free from”: foods for particular nutritional purposes,
SLVFS 2000:14.
l
National Food Administration regulations, LIVSFS
2009:6 on the Keyhole symbol.
Guides on decrees and regulations
l
Livsmedel särskilt avsedda för personer med allergi
eller intolerans, 2012.
l
Vägledning till kontrollmyndigheter m fl om riskklassning av livsmedelsanläggningar och beräkning av
kontrolltid, 2011.
l
Vägledning kontrollmyndigheter m fl om offentlig
kontroll av livsmedelsanläggningar, 2011.
l
Vägledning kontrollmyndigheter m fl om godkännande och registrering av livsmedelsanläggningar,
2009.
l
Vägledning till Hygienförordningen, 2006.
EU Regulations relating to food
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European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) no.
178/2002 (the EU’s “Food Act”).
l
European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) no.
852/2004 of 29 April 2004 on food hygiene.
l
European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC)
no. 853/2004 of 29 april 2004 laying down specific
hygiene rules for foods of animal origin.
l
Vägledning till kontrollmyndigheter m fl om livsmedel
särskilt avsedda för personer med allergi eller intolerans, 2012.
l
European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) no.
882/2004 of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with
feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare
rules
l
Kontrollhandbok för storhushåll och restaurang, Livsmedelsverket 2013.
l
l
l
European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) no.
854/2004 of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules
for the organisation of official controls on products of
animal origin intended for human consumption.
Commission Regulation (EC) no. 2073/2005 of 15
November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs.
Other information
l
Handbok för säker mat i vård, skola och omsorg,
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions,
www.skl.se
l
Mat för många. Goda råd för utvecklingen av
­måltidsverksamheten. Swedish Association of Local
Authorities and Regions (SKL), 2006. www.skl.se/­
fastighet
l
Allergiinformation – 12 brochures about foods which
can lead to hypersensitivity reactions. Ordered from
the National Food Agency online store at http://webbutiken.slv.se
l
Säker mat i skolan och förskolan, Swedish Asthma and
Allergy Association.
Commission Regulation (EC) no. 41/2009 concerning
the composition and labelling of foodstuffs suitable for
people intolerant to gluten.
Swedish regulations
l
Food Act, 2006:804.
l
Food Decree, 2006:813 .
l
National Food Administration regulations (LIVSFS
2004:27) on the Labelling and presentation of foodstuffs Annex 1 includes a list of the allergens which
must be specified in the labelling on all packaged
38
Notes
LIVSMEDELSVERKET
Telephone: 018-17 55 00
Box 622
Fax: 018-10 58 48
751 26 UPPSALA
E-mail: [email protected]
SWEDEN
Webb: www.livsmedelsverket.se