Outsourcing, a centralized approach, renewal of catering facilities and daily monitoring of the quality of food - these are the current trends in the field of organizing school meals. The participants of the All-Russian seminar-meeting on quality assurance and safety of school meals, which took place on April 8 at the Academy of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, discussed the best practices of Moscow in the field of social nutrition and the possibility of its distribution to the regions.
The seminar was organized by the Russian Ministry of Education in partnership with M. KG Razumovsky, the Institute of Industry Nutrition, the All-Russian Pedagogical Assembly and the Industry Union for the Development of Social Nutrition "SOYUZSOTSPIT". In addition to representatives of relevant ministries, it was attended by specialists from Rospotrebnadzor, employees of the General Prosecutor's Office, as well as experts from the Federal Center for Monitoring Students' Nutrition and the Expert Advisory Council of the Parent Community under the Department of Education and Science of the city of Moscow.
Those who could not attend the seminar in person - connected to its online broadcast on YouTube. This opportunity was used by about 2.5 thousand people from different regions of our country.
A wide range of topics were discussed at the meeting. From the nutrition of children with nutritional characteristics and the need to develop a unified regional nutritional standard, as well as guidelines, to changes in sanitary legislation and stimulation of the production and supply of safe and high-quality products to Russian schools.
The participants of the seminar repeatedly referred to the successful experience of Moscow in organizing high-quality school meals. In the capital, 100% of schools are provided with food, in contrast to the regions where, according to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova, in 292 schools there are still problems with hot meals for primary school students. The participants of the seminar connected the positive experience of the capital of Russia in organizing school meals with the fact that specialized companies work in the field of social catering in Moscow.
Valentina Ivanova, President of Moscow State University of Technology K.G. Razumovsky, member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation: “When we talk about prospects, about forecasting, it is important to see the centralization of the whole work. And this is possible only on the basis of outsourcing. Centralized approach, industrial approach, replacement of equipment in school food blocks with more modern ones. Etc. All this is connected with the industrial approach, with the strengthening and attraction of additional investments, investors, public-private partnerships and other forms of interaction and cooperation. In the meantime, we are talking about the fact that everyone wants to work the old fashioned way. But then you cannot ensure quality, you cannot provide daily control, you cannot finance a laboratory in every school. Only a large PLC is able to create a laboratory that will monitor the diet of schoolchildren on a daily basis. In this sense, Moscow's experience is colossal and today or tomorrow we will study it and set it as an example for the regions. "
For a long time, all preschoolers in Moscow schools have received free five meals a day, and students in grades 1-4 - free hot breakfasts. Two hot meals a day before graduation are provided for children from large and socially vulnerable families. The results of the VTsIOM poll indicate that food in the capital's schools is of high quality, tasty, varied and safe. Food rations in Moscow schools and preschool groups are developed in accordance with the requirements of sanitary standards, and are formed taking into account the seasonality and calorie content of the daily diet. At the same time, they are balanced and contain the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates necessary for a growing body.
The event was also attended by the director of the Industry Union for the Development of Social Nutrition Vladimir Chernigov. According to him, “the sphere of social school and preschool nutrition in Moscow is a clear reference point for the whole country. “Moscow is a beacon for the whole country,” summed up Chernigov.
In addition to renovating school canteens and equipping them with modern equipment, school canteens have also been modernized. In Moscow, many of them started working as themed restaurants. The walls of the dining rooms were decorated with seascapes, pictures of Moscow sights, heroes of popular cartoons. The menu also included themed dishes.
In the capital, a multi-stage quality control of baby food is provided. Specialized laboratories test all products for safety and regulatory compliance. Thanks to the "Pass and Meals" system, which has been operating in the capital since 2012, parents of schoolchildren can remotely see what their child is eating. The data is sent by e-mail or is available on the mos.ru website. With the help of the "Pass and Meals" system, parents can also order hot meals for their child for a fee and draw up a meal schedule for their child for a long period, providing for repetitions of their favorite dishes.
In addition to online control, parents of students have the opportunity to attend school
canteens, and monitor the quality and gustatory characteristics of ready-made meals: dads and moms of Moscow schoolchildren are included in the nutrition commissions under the governing councils. The students themselves can leave feedback on how they are fed every day. Moscow food organizers, together with SRO, have launched the Evaluation of Food mobile application. Any dish from the school menu or breakfast can be evaluated on a 4-point system. The application allows you to control the quality of food, and feedback from children and parents - to correct any deficiencies that arise.
Food organizers from almost 50 regions of Russia were able to convince themselves of the fairness of all the flattering words addressed to Moscow food organizers during excursions to the canteen of school No. 1474 of the Northern Administrative District of Moscow, as well as to the sites of the production and logistics complex RusSotsCapital and the company's bakery Arica. There they were able to taste the dishes from the school cafeteria and make sure that they are really delicious.