City Hall invests in school meals and improves nutrition for students in schools in the West Zone

Investment in school meals served in Rio's municipal schools represents food security for students. By focusing on this commitment, the City Hall has guaranteed students quality and nutritious food. In many cases, school meals are the students' main meal, especially in the West Zone, one of the regions that has received the most funding under the current administration.

Currently, the West Zone has 725 schools, spread across four Regional Education Coordinators (CREs): 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th. 469.818 students benefit from healthy food every day. According to data from the Municipal Department of Education, 186.375 tons of food are served per day in schools in the West Zone.

In the current administration, investment in school meals in the West Zone units was around R$61,7 million in 2021. The following year, the amount more than doubled, rising to R$172,1 million. In 2023, the Education Department increased it even further, allocating R$180,8 million to schools in the region.

To ensure the quality of school meals, the City Hall maintains a food system focused on good nutrition and aligned with the guidelines of the National School Feeding Program (PNAE). With an innovative approach, it is based on healthy, varied menus prepared by specialized professionals from the Annes Dias Nutrition Institute (INAD), an agency linked to the Municipal Health Department. The initiative has become a reference on the national scene.

The food offered to students is carefully prepared in school kitchens by food preparation agents (APAS), who have contracts with the Department of Education. The city's schools have not had cafeterias for over 20 years.

Since last year, ultra-processed foods have been banned from the menus of municipal schools. Soft drinks, sweets, stuffed cookies and fried foods have been banned so that students' diets are nutritious and balanced.

The school menu is based on rice and beans, which are served every day. Meat, beef or liver, is offered twice a week, as is chicken. Eggs are served once a week. There is at least one vegetable offered every day. There are only two types of biscuits served: cornstarch and water and salt, without filling. And the milk provided comes from family farms.

Category:

• Education
• News

31 May 2024

Appointments: feed Education municipal schools school lunch City Hall of Rio West zone