Cantine scolaire : apprendre le goût aux enfants

Summary

This transcript discusses the importance of balanced school meals, highlighting the role of nutrition in children's health. The speaker, a dietician, explains how meals are carefully planned to include various components like starches, vegetables, dairy, and dessert. They emphasize the challenge of ensuring children eat healthy, including overcoming vegetable aversions. The speaker also mentions the need for children to be physically active and the responsibility of parents to ensure a well-rounded diet outside school hours. The goal is to offer quality meals in schools while encouraging overall healthy habits.

Takeaways

• 😀 Balanced meals in school canteens are a result of collaboration between dieticians and service providers to ensure nutritional guidelines are followed.
• 🍝 Meals are carefully planned to include five components: starter, main course, side dish, dairy product, and dessert.
• 🥦 A key rule in school meals is that twice a week, children should have starchy foods and green vegetables as part of their diet.
• 🥗 The importance of offering vegetables in different forms, such as in gratins or with béchamel sauce, helps children enjoy them more.
• 🍽️ The idea that children don't eat green vegetables is challenged by the example of well-loved dishes like spinach with béchamel in Lyon school canteens.
• 🍎 The strategy of introducing new foods at least 10 times increases the chances of acceptance by children.
• 🏫 Modern school canteens in Lyon offer quality menus, but balanced meals alone are not enough to ensure children's health.
• 🏃‍♂️ Encouraging physical activity is essential to balance the intake of food and avoid overweight or obesity in children.
• 🥘 It's not just about the meals at school; parents must also provide balanced nutrition at home to avoid nutritional deficiencies or excessive weight gain.
• 🍽️ School meals need to be complemented by healthy home meals to ensure proper nutrition and overall well-being for children.

Q & A

What is the main goal of school canteens in Lyon regarding the meals they provide?

The main goal is to offer balanced meals that meet nutritional standards while ensuring children enjoy the food. The meals are created in collaboration with dieticians and follow strict guidelines set by the city of Lyon.

How many children eat in the Lyon canteens every day?

Over 6 million children eat in the canteens every day, making it a billion meals per year.

What are the five components of a school meal in Lyon?

A school meal consists of a starter, a main course (including meat, fish, or eggs), a side dish (which includes starchy foods and green vegetables), a dairy product (cheese or dairy), and a dessert, which includes raw fruit at least twice a week.

What is the rule regarding the frequency of certain foods in the school meals?

The rule is simple: twice a week, the menu must include starchy foods and green vegetables. Additionally, a dairy product and at least twice a week, raw fruit must be included.

Why is it important to include components that children enjoy in school meals?

Including food items that children like is essential because offering balanced meals is only effective if the children actually eat them. For example, including popular dishes like béchamel spinach can help ensure children consume the vegetables.

What is the common misconception about children eating green vegetables?

There is a common misconception that children do not eat green vegetables. However, in Lyon’s school canteens, certain green vegetables like spinach béchamel are very well-received, showing that children will eat them when prepared appealingly.

How can school canteens help children develop a taste for green vegetables?

By regularly offering green vegetables in different preparations, such as with béchamel sauce or simply with oil and salt, children can begin to appreciate their taste. It is suggested that a new food needs to be offered at least 10 times before it is accepted.

What changes have occurred in the school restaurant system in recent years?

School restaurants have changed significantly, now offering higher-quality menus that are both balanced and nutritionally rich, reflecting a growing awareness of children’s health.

What role do parents play in ensuring their children’s health regarding nutrition?

Parents play a crucial role in ensuring their children’s diet is balanced by supplementing meals outside of school. This helps prevent nutritional deficiencies and addresses potential issues like overweight or obesity.

What other factors, beyond nutrition, contribute to the health of children?

Beyond nutrition, physical activity plays a critical role in the health of children. Encouraging children to engage in sports and limiting food consumption are essential to combating rising obesity rates, especially among younger populations.