The school year has started. Of course, the children will be eating in school canteens, among other things.
Ukraine has clear requirements for the provision of meals for children in educational institutions.
The list of what is prohibited to be sold in school cafeterias is approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 305 dated 24.03.2021.
As a reminder, school cafeterias and canteens are not allowed to sell:
Foods and products high in salt and sugar, in particular:
- Salty snacks (chips, crisps, etc.);
- cream confectionery, glazed sweets, pastries, cakes;
- butter buns with a lot of sugar.
Drinks:
- carbonated sweet drinks;
- energy drinks, tonic drinks;
- coffee.
Fast food and foods with a high trans fat content:
- hamburgers, hot dogs, shawarma, etc;
- foods fried in large amounts of fat.
- Products that do not meet safety standards:
- expired products;
- without marking;
- those containing artificial colours, sweeteners, flavours in excessive amounts.
Instead, in school cafeterias is allowed to be sold: fresh fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread sandwiches, dairy products (low-fat and without added sugar), natural juices, and drinking water.
We join the call of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection to ensure that school catering facilities strictly adhere to these rules, and for parents of schoolchildren to be attentive to their children and their eating habits!