Nutritious school food helps students develop lifelong healthy eating habits, according to studies.

Qatar’s ministry of education is taking the necessary steps to guarantee healthy food is made available at canteens in government schools.

“The committee made regulations and specifications to provide high-quality healthy food at reasonable prices to students,” said Muhammad Abdullah Al Maraghi, Director of the Health and Safety Department.

The official also emphasised during a workshop on “Healthy Nutrition and Food Safety in Government School Canteens” how crucial it is to activate the school canteen supervisors’ role in ensuring everyone’s safety.

The workshop—organised in collaboration with the School Canteens Committee, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education— was intended for close to 200 canteen managers at public schools.

The ministry’s senior nutritionist Hind Ali Al Tamimi spoke about the importance of “healthy nutrition” and drew attention to breakfast’s significance, the advantages of a healthy diet, and the health issues that can arise from skipping it.

Al Tamimi offered advice to encourage kids to eat breakfast that are in line with Qatari dietary recommendations. She presented a number of suggestions, the most crucial of which is to consume a variety of healthy foods, lessen the amount of foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat, and drink enough water.

Al Tamimi advised students to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes eating well and exercising to avoid obesity and other diseases.

In a presentation, Wafa Khamis Shabeel, Senior Food Safety Specialist at the Ministry of Public Health, discussed the health requirements for the school canteen, with regard to the building’s infrastructure and exterior environment, the dining hall, the safety of the property, the equipment, supplies, and food handlers, as well as cleaning, disinfection, and pest control.

She also highlighted the function of the school canteen supervisors, the procedure for receiving and storing food, the method for displaying it hot and cold, the mechanism for gathering retained samples, and complaints and concerns about food poisoning.

The workshop was held as part of the School Canteens Committee’s initiatives and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s commitment to its Health and Safety Department’s mission to support the school community’s efforts to spread health awareness and foster a healthy culture.

Healthy food ‘crucial’ for child development

Healthy meals help push schools towards their primary goals at they improve students’ concentration, focus, and cognitive function.

Numerous studies have shown that better nutrition in schools promotes improved focus and attention, test scores, and classroom behaviour. In fact, student health affects learning.

According to research, eating habits and healthy lifestyle choices are related to academic success. Participation in the school breakfast programme is linked to increased memory, fewer absences, better grades, and scores on standardised tests.

Additionally, it reinforces the teachers’ messages about nutrition education and fosters a culture of wellness at the school.

The value placed on students’ health and well-being can also be reinforced to children, families, and the community by providing healthy school meals.

Qatar’s attention to such drive serves as an important step towards improving the development of children, even with nutrition.