The Ministry of Education and Research has made such clarifications after numerous criticisms from parents and photos on social networks regarding the nutrition of children in schools. According to the data provided by the ministry, school meals are a perfect combination of taste, goodness and balance.
The head of the Department of the Ministry of Education and Science, Viorica Negrei, explained that all menus, both for hot meals and for lunch box meals, are coordinated with the territorial units of the National Agency of Public Health. According to the regulations, the diet must include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products (bread, pasta, cereals), dairy products, lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and healthy fats (vegetable oils), as well as snacks with reduced salt, sugar and fats. Access to drinking water should be available throughout the day. The recommended fluid intake is 1.5 to 2 liters per day, depending on the age of the child.
The regulations stipulate that meals should be based on the “healthy plate” model and the food pyramid. This implies that 50% of the plate volume is taken up by vegetables and fruits, preferably of various colors and textures, both raw and cooked; 25% is allocated to proteins, both of animal origin (lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy products) and vegetable (beans, lentils, chickpeas, seeds, nuts). The remaining 25% are cereals, predominantly whole grains – such as whole wheat bread, brown rice or wholemeal pasta. These meals should be balanced, varied and meet children’s daily energy and nutrient needs.
Foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats are prohibited in educational institutions. These include carbonated drinks, sweet juices, creamy products, chips, salty snacks, processed sausages, fried foods with used oil, candy, chewing gum, chocolate, products with trans fats, as well as products with artificial colors and harmful food additives.
It should be noted that in the first days of September, many parents complained through social networks about the meager portions and non-compliance of the food served with nutritional standards for school-age children. Recently, the Ministry of Education published a video on its social media page, in which teachers and children of one of the capital’s lyceums thanked the ministry for school meals and for “a varied menu that gives more energy and desire to learn”.
It should be reminded that in Moldova, from September 1, all pupils of grammar school classes (V-IX) are provided with free meals once a day. The state budget allocated 80 million lei for this purpose this year. Each educational institution independently determines the order of organizing the meals.
