School meals are the highlight of the school day, and support learning, school satisfaction, food competence and development of food sense. The lunchbreak gives the daily work schedule a natural structure and provides pupils as well as school staff an opportunity for refreshment. School catering implemented in compliance with recommendations provides balanced and healthy food that is attractive in appearance, companionship, socialising and well-being. It supports the coping and growth of children and young people, and healthy weight development. The report Ending childhood obesity by the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasises, for example, school meals and healthy snacks as well as learning about well-being as part of a health-promoting living environment for children and young people. These recommendations support the provision of healthy, balanced, appropriately
organised and supervised meals free of charge in pre-primary education and comprehensive schools. The national comparison data system for health promotion measures compliance with the school catering recommendations of National Nutrition Council. The goal is for school catering to be implemented in compliance with the recommendations in all schools across Finland. The school meals are part of the daily teaching, guidance and education tasks defined in the school-spesific curricula. In addition to promoting the study ability and health
of the pupils, the well-being of the school community is cared for. In the curriculum for each school, the provider of education shall define the principles that guide school catering as well as objectives related to education on food, health and manners, and a sustainable way of life. [From the preface]