Since December 2023, the City of Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, and a the local primary school, OBS Delfshaven, have been part of the European project 'Implementing Healthy Meals for All' [Healthy Wave]. This three-year Erasmus+ project focuses on exchanging knowledge and experiences with other European cities regarding healthy school lunches. Countries like the Netherlands, which do not yet have school lunches integrated into their policies, can learn from those where it is already a standard practice. Cities such as Gothenburg, Milan, Cluj-Napoca, Rotterdam, Lisbon, Varna, and Riga participate as mentor or mentee cities. Mentors, with extensive experience in healthy school lunches, are paired with mentee cities to share their knowledge and help implement these practices.
Leendert Vermeulen, Head of the Sports, Education, and Recreation Department: “Rotterdam is paired with Milan, a city where healthy school lunches are provided by the municipality and are embedded in school policy. In June 2024, we visited Milan to get a firsthand look at their approach. The insights we gained are incredibly valuable for our city.” Following the 'Implementing Healthy Meals for All' project, the City of Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, and five local primary schools have launched a pilot project for Healthy School Lunches. National and international initiatives involving Healthy School Lunches with proven effects prompted us to start this pilot in Rotterdam.
Healthy School Lunch Pilot
For six months, children at five participating primary schools in Rotterdam received healthy lunches. We are researching the effects and feasibility of these lunches, examining not only whether children eat healthier and measuring effects on concentration in class, but also whether it is feasible for schools to organize these lunches independently. Together with teachers, parents, local organizations, and students, we determine what type of lunch best suits each school.
Feasibility Study Across All Rotterdam Primary Schools
Healthy diet is crucial for children. Developing healthy eating habits is essential to prevent chronic diseases later in life, such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, National and international research suggests that a healthy school lunch can promote healthier eating habits in children. In May 2024, we started an additional feasibility study, asking all primary schools in Rotterdam to complete a digital questionnaire. This will help us understand if schools are already offering meals, their satisfaction with them, and the feasibility of providing healthy lunches.
Results
Leendert Vermeulen: “In November 2024, we will share the results of the Healthy School Lunch pilot at the five primary schools during a knowledge-sharing event. We hope that, along with our collaboration with Milan, these results will provide further building blocks for establishing a healthy school lunch program in Rotterdam.”
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