The first day a child steps into a school premise, whether a play house or a kindergarten school, he begins a new life. It is full of wonders, fun and enjoyment. Gradually he starts gaining knowledge of different kinds and along with it the rules of good conduct and healthy living.

Fact 1 Schools serving lunches

Today there are many schools that serve lunch to the students especially to those who belong to the low-income groups. The main idea is to take care of their health properly so that they can grasp the lessons taught to them and succeed in overcoming their difficulties in future. A healthy body only has a healthy mind and can concentrate on the work he does. So the lunch is prepared in such a way that it contains all the essential nutrients required to maintain physical and mental health.

Fact 2 The Guidelines followed by schools to serve lunch

Guidelines are provided by responsible departments of the government regarding the types of foods to be served and their methods of preparation to ensure they are healthy. Every 5 years these rules change according to the situation of the health of the community so as to reduce risks of diseases related to eating habits. Students are taught to follow a routine so that they develop good eating habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.

Fact 3 Balanced and Age-specific school lunches

The school lunches are not only healthy they are age-specific too. Different age groups require different types of nutrients and calories are balanced according to age. Children aged 3 to 4 years will not naturally eat the same amount or the same types of foods as those who belong to the 12 to 14 years age groups. Hence portion sizes and calories vary accordingly. But a balance is maintained in the nutrition and the calories present in the lunches. Since the problems of obesity especially among young children has become so high, school lunches are designed to maintain weight and nutrition by including more of fresh vegetables and fruits in their lunches.

Fact 4 Foods included in school lunches

The need for perfect nutrition in students’ lunches cannot be overlooked in any way. Hence the lunches served to students by the school authorities are nutrition-packed so that while enjoying their food they grow up into healthy citizens of tomorrow. School lunches contain whole-grains, vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy products that offer appropriate amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, calcium, iron etc for proper growth. To make the school lunches more attractive to students especially the younger ones, the platter is designed colorfully not only to attract students but also to supply nutritional benefits. To achieve this end, schools keep changing the variety of fruits and vegetables according to the seasons in which they are available the most. Sodium intake is also kept within limits. Low-fat dairy products are served so that students get their required doses of calcium for stronger bones and teeth. Whole-grains form an important part of their lunch as they contain a variety of nutrients as well as fiber.

Fact 5 3 Types of school lunches

It is an expensive world today. The soaring prices of each and every product are going out of reach for the general public. Taking into consideration such situations, 3 types of lunches are served in schools namely, free, reduced and full-price. According to the family’s income level, the decision is taken by the authorities on the payment system for school lunches.

It has been found that school lunches are healthier and more cost-effective than home-made lunches and eating the same food together creates a feeling of unity and togetherness.