Wanted: good practices about school lunches!

Based on the criteria of the Whole School Food Approach (WSFA)

Why are we looking for good practices?

The European Healthy Wave project is developing a toolkit to help cities get started with

healthy eating policies in their schools, by using the Whole School Food Approach. In

addition to theoretical explanations, we want to enrich this document with good examples from practice.

What is the Whole School Food Approach (WSFA)?

WSFA is a method for developing a healthy and sustainable food culture in and around

schools. The goal is to approach food in a holistic way, through a variety of learning

situations and subjects that allow us to look at food from different perspectives. WSFA

focusses on four areas of work, or pillars.

What are these 4 pillars?

1. Policy & Leadership: convincing stakeholders to make food an intrinsic part of

school life

2. Food & Sustainability: providing healthy and sustainable food in school cafeterias,

during breaks and outside the school environment 

3. Education & Learning: expanding the curriculum as well as getting involved in

the recruitment of school staff, cooks, principals and teachers

4. Community & Partnership: cooperation with stakeholders associated with the school

such as  school staff and teachers, local shops, restaurants, farmers, etc.

Every pillar has different criteria:

Pillar POLICY & LEADERSHIP:

- Working group

- Planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning

- Communication

- Funding & resources

- Political commitment

Pillar FOOD & SUSTAINABILITY:

- Attractive dining circumstances

- Sustainable public food procurement

- Facilities

- Food security

- Food waste

- Healthy food standards

Pillar EDUCATION & LEARNING:

- Food in the curriculum, ex authentic learning

- Staff training

- Social aspects (of eating together)

Pillar COMMUNITY & PARTNERSHIP

- Caregiver involvement

- Collaboration with local actors and communities

What can you do to help us?

- Go through the different pillars and related criteria and think of very concrete projects

& initiatives in your city.

- Choose projects where your city plays/played a significant role. Focus on this role in

your description. Don’t be too modest.

- Fill in the template below and send it to leen.tyrions@rikolto.org