OVER my years in school, I have always had strong opinions about school lunches, specifically what is presented to us and what becomes normalised in many students’ diets.
Speaking from experience, what you eat in school and what you see everyone else eating can heavily influence your own diet and shape your idea of what is healthy or not.
In my primary years, I often relied on the food my school provided. By Malaysian standards, this included rice with one or two side dishes and some stir-fried vegetables or an occasional salad – the salad being a few lettuce leaves drowned in dressing till it was barely recognisable, and the vegetables were often quite oily too.
I believe this is the wrong representation of healthy eating that occurs in many schools. Vegetables and fruits are often treated as sides, while carbohydrates and proteins take centre stage, when a more balanced diet is what growing kids need.
Now that the Education Ministry is implementing regulations on food in schools, this is a crucial step towards building a healthier society.
On Sept 23, the ministry announced on its Facebook page its collaboration with the Health Ministry’s Nutrition Division, outlining 12 categories of food and beverages that are prohibited from being sold in schools.
Among the items listed include processed food, junk food, sweets and chocolates, pickled food, creamy or sugar-coated food, instant products, iced confectionery or ice cream, sweetened beverages and toppings, energy and isotonic beverages, and herbal, carbonated and fruity drinks.
Implementing the ban directly in schools is a great way to expose students to the kind of standards our nation should aspire to have.
By standards, I mean those set by Japan and Korea, which regulate the meals served to students, down to the locally sourced vegetables included.
Typical lunches there would include proportioned rice, a source of protein such as fish, chicken or beef, as well as two to three seasoned vegetables and a broth.
Malaysian canteens – with foods such as sausages, nuggets and other heavily fried options, alongside sweet cordials that are often the first choice for students – pale in comparison to Japan’s and Korea’s lunch menus.
In part because of this early exposure to healthy living, these East Asian countries’ obesity rates are significantly lower. This contrasts with Malaysia’s own rates, which have risen in recent years.
And it isn’t simply because they are more developed; Malaysia, too, has an abundance of locally sourced produce we can use to our advantage. It’s all a matter of effort.
The fact that typically greasy snacks are what students tend to pick up first in canteens stems from their desire for a light pick-me-up during the school day – something that they can easily eat while walking around with friends.
There were times I would even skip lunch just so I could make the most of my time with friends, because plates of fried noodles were too cumbersome to carry around.
On top of that, some meals were just too heavy, leaving me sleepy in class, while others were so light that I kept feeling hungry. There was rarely an in-between.
Healthy eating isn’t just about staying healthy; good food fuels the brain, which is especially crucial for young minds in the classroom.
Some items I would like to see in canteens include wraps or sandwiches, with varying proteins and sauces.
If schools want to keep the nasi campur (mixed rice) style of food, there should be fewer greasy options and more fresh vegetables available. Encouraging water and milk as drink choices would also benefit many growing students.
We, as a community, should continue to encourage a healthy lifestyle and do our best to align with international standards.
Encouragement shouldn’t just come from the Health and Education Ministries, but also from families who try to incorporate healthier meals at home, and from friends who strive to set good examples for one another.
With time and patience, we can integrate these practices into our lives; and soon enough, we will become the healthy examples others look up to.
Let’s embrace the new standards set for us and strive for healthier lunches, a key step towards the bright future that awaits.
Maryam, 17, a student in Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
With the theme of the article in mind, carry out the following English language activities.
1 In groups, design your ideal healthy school menu. It must include three main dishes, two snacks and two drinks — all healthy options. Then, present your menu to the class and explain why your choices are healthy and appealing. The class will vote for the “Most Delicious”, “Most Balanced” and “Most Creative” menu.
2 In pairs, invent a new healthy snack for students. Then, prepare a one-minute “ad pitch” to convince your classmates to buy it.
The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme promotes English language learning in primary and secondary schools nationwide. For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@thestar.com.my.