The Znaimo project on healthy eating in schools of Ukraine was recently presented. Murat Shakhin, head of the UNICEF office in Ukraine, reported it. According to him, there are about 15 thousand schools in Ukraine, in each of which there is a shift to an adult generation. This means that there it is the schoolchildren who must be cared for first by including their nutrition.
Both UNICEF and the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, are unanimous on this issue. Cooperation between the United Nations Children’s Fund and the first lady of Ukraine began in 2020. A bilateral memorandum was signed on 1 June 2020. The document referred to the reform of the school feeding system. Today, active work is underway based on that memorandum.
In 2022, a significant step will be taken. First, UNICEF will increase its influence on implementing nutrition reform in schools. Second, the Znaimo platform has already been launched on December 15. The site will contain information on:
- Progress of the reform and school feeding standards;
- Development of a child’s nutrition culture in the family and at school.
The reform and the government’s actions completely replace the school menu. In May 2021, a new menu was introduced. It has 160 dishes. The menu will increase the amount of meat, milk, fish, fresh fruit, and vegetables. Food for schoolchildren will have a minimum of salt and sugar, plant and animal origin fat, and by-products.
On January 1, 2022, the nutrition reform of educational institutions will be fully activated.
