Experiences

Second breakfast at school - needed or unnecessary?

Agnieszka Gołembiewska

Poland

Primary school

Technology

Teaching in class

Direct

Classes of technology at school also focus on topics household, preparing meals, but also the principles of healthy eating. I noticed that during the so-called lunch break school corridors are dominated by sweet rolls, donuts, chips, drinks with high sugar content. There is no bread of coarse flour, vegetables and fruit, yoghurt. So I decided to explain to children the principles of healthy eating and arrange with them a dozen proposals for second breakfast to school. I ran a competition in all classes 4-6 for interesting, healthy breakfast, easy for self-preparation. It was for self-preparation because many children in the area of our school come from dysfunctional families where parents do not support their children, not preparing food for them in the morning but give a few zlotys (social welfare) for the sweet donut. I explained to children that bringing boxes with vegetable salad is not awkward and shameful, and that yogurt made on your own with mixed fruit is healthier than readymade, which contains 3% of the fruit and flavor achieved through the aromas and high in unhealthy sugar. I proved that the monotonous diet and starvation during study hours is unhealthy and hinders the proper development and is the cause of school failures (a hungry child is not thinking about science). As a result of activities that are systematically repeated, many students changed their improper eating habits, reduced the consumption of unhealthy sweets and drinks to once a week. Students show what they have prepared for school. They dream of a cooking club at school. Maybe in the future they will not make mistakes in eating habits.