Cologne students demand healthy school meals: protests in sight!

Cologne students demand healthy school meals: protests in sight!

In Cologne, food expert Sebastian Lege is bringing a breath of fresh air into the eating habits of students with his “besseresser” initiative. During a visit to a comprehensive school in Cologne-Vingst, he explains the dilemma that many students are faced with: Overpriced kiosk prices and the absence of a cafeteria mean that some kids stay hungry all day long, while others resort to unhealthy ready-made products. At the same time, Lege shows the young people how they can discover the hidden ingredients in their snacks and prepare healthier alternatives themselves in his “better eater” workshop, reports ZDF.

The initiative is part of the eight-part series “besseresser Kids – Lege tackles it”, in which Lege takes a closer look at German school meals together with students. In each of these episodes he visits a different school, tests lunch and focuses on recipes and a conscious approach to food. Exciting trips to farms and projects in the school garden are also on the program. The aim is to teach children in a playful way how they can organize their own diet, as KIKA describes.

Healthy eating and school meals

A healthy diet is essential for the physical and mental development of children and young people. According to current studies, around 14.3 million children and young people up to the age of 17 live in Germany. The youngest - between 6 and 14 years old - represent the largest group with around 7.2 million. It is alarming that many children consume too little fruit, vegetables and whole grain products, while the consumption of sweet drinks remains high. A maximum of 5% of 12 to 17 year olds eat a vegetarian diet, which represents a slight increase compared to previous studies. In addition, 15.4% of children and young people are overweight, which corresponds to around 1.9 million overweight children, as the website Gemeinsam Gut Essen states.

School meals could play a key role here. Healthy school meals can cover up to 40% of a child's energy needs and represent an important platform for nutrition education. The DGE quality standards provide helpful recommendations for healthy school meals. It has been shown that school food programs reach children from different social classes and can act as a preventative measure against diet-related diseases.

Student engagement

The Cologne students, inspired by Sebastian Lege's initiative, do not want to be satisfied with the existing conditions. They are planning a signature campaign to demand free school meals and are designing protest posters to draw attention to the grievances. The motivation of the young people is clearly noticeable: it's not just about better food options, but also about being actively involved in their own nutritional future.

If Sebastian Lege and the students have their way, a nutrition-conscious future is on the menu. And perhaps Kölle will soon become a culinary pioneer of healthy school meals too!