The two schools ‘GO! Middle School’ and ‘GO! Atheneum Voskenslaan’, both located in Ghent (Belgium), are uniting to work towards healthier and more sustainable food options on their campus. They joined forces to support a healthier planet through the SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) project, in which the City of Ghent is a partner.
Driven by the voices of their student bodies, both schools recognized the imperative to address the need for nutritious and environmentally-conscious dining choices.
When 6th graders at the Atheneum did a survey, it was clear that everyone was on board for taking action: it was time to reimagine the offerings of their communal school restaurant, with an emphasis on a bigger variety and more sustainability.
“I welcome healthier and more sustainable offerings in the school restaurant. Meals should also be inclusive. An animal-free offer is then the easiest option.” – Marie-Lou, age 12, Pupil at ‘GO! Voskenslaan middle school’ and member of the student council.
Take a close look at the Sandwiches
So, what has changed in pupils’ everyday eating habits? Students, are used to making their own sandwiches from a selection of traditional toppings such as américain préparé, chicken curry, egg salad, tuna, ham, and cheese. A few teachers from both campuses and a policy officer from the middle school started researching the possibility of more plant-based spreads. This examination considered factors such as budget constraints, packaging alternatives, and the nutritional profiles of the proposed toppings. A taste test featuring three selected spreads, conducted for the student councils of both schools, was a success. They all approved the selected spreads.
Embracing “Thursday Veggie Day”
With SF4C as their guiding beacon, the schools are trying to offer only vegetarian options on Thursdays. Moreover, they planned to generally offer more plant-based dishes to emphasize the importance of healthier and more sustainable eating habits.
1,550 Toasts to Change
Eager to enact these transformative measures, the school community embarked on a clandestine toast-making mission. In a delightful surprise for their peers, members of a working group and enthusiastic students transformed the school into a “toast factory,” preparing and distributing 1,550 plant-based toasts. After keeping the toast experiment a secret until everyone had a taste, the excitement it sparked was all over social media, with tons of pictures and videos being shared.
Planning for the Future
An ongoing dialogue, facilitated through surveys, empowers students to provide feedback on the new offerings and propose new ideas for their school restaurant. For example creating a welcoming eating environment in a relaxed atmosphere and extended lunch periods.
Adding vegetarian options to Thursday’s hot meals is still pending, as it requires coordination with various stakeholders. However, the SchoolFood4Change team believes that the momentum from this successful launch of the first concrete measures and changes will drive progress forward. The team is committed to making vegetarian options a top priority, and with everyone’s
