LETTERS: In the good old days, canteen food options were limited to nasi lemak, bihun goreng, nasi goreng or mee goreng, occasionally complemented by ice cream.
With those restricted offerings, pupils had limited exposure to unhealthy food in school canteens, and they got used to the daily repeated menu.
I recently discovered that a school management has invited other vendors offering options such as takoyaki, keropok lekor and pisang goreng cheese leleh, which fall under the street food category.
These foods are not healthy, and we should not encourage our children to consume them daily.
Kids will be kids. If such items are available for purchase, every child will be tempted to try these unhealthy meals, which will lead to health complications in the long run.
I urge the government to standardise meals in schools, from preschools to secondary schools, ensuring every meal is consistent and nutritional.
All meals distributed to schools should undergo testing and evaluation by the Health Ministry to ensure that we foster food literacy among canteen operators and school management.
Standardising meals in schools will ensure all children receive balanced meals, which will not only improve their stature, development and physical strength, but reduce nutritional disorders.
School canteens should be inspected every week to ensure their cleanliness and hygiene meet government requirements.
A standardised meal programme can also aid struggling communities by ensuring their children are well-fed at school with healthy meals, with the cost being covered by the institution or the government.
Food nutrition is indeed a topic that should be included in the school syllabus to educate children about what goes into their digestive system.
School canteen food should observe the standard school food criteria, providing a balanced diet.
The Japanese education system recently introduced a mandatory school lunch programme, aimed at improving nutrition to enhance the quality of learning.
In today's fast-paced lifestyle, fast food and processed food have become unavoidable as convenient options that save time
But this should be a choice made by parents or students outside the school. A school that is meant to educate us should also teach about the importance of healthy, balanced meals, which will lead to improved menus and students' wellbeing.
SARANNYA NIRMALA TN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times