Case Study: Free Lunch Meals Provision during the Remote Learning Conditions.

Ilze Beitane,Sintija Strode,Martins Sabovics,Tatjana Kince,Zanda Kruma,Sandra Iriste,Inga Ciprovica,Jekaterina Bujaka,Sandra Muizniece-Brasava

doi:10.3390/nu13020605

Abstract

School meals for grade 1 to 4 pupils in Latvia are financed by the government, but with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and following the remote learning process, there were problems related to the delivery of these meals for pupils. The current situation in Latvia has been exacerbated again due to the spread of the pandemic; there is a great necessity to find well-thought-out solutions to ensure school lunches outside the school. The aim of this study was to develop recommendation-based one-week food packs for grade 1 to 4 pupils, providing the necessary amount of nutrients and energy. Four food packs were designed to provide five-day lunch meals for pupils, preparing a warm lunch at home. Protein, fat, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugar, dietary fiber, sodium, salt and calcium content of meals were analyzed according to standard methods. During the project, the most appropriate solution for food packs was explored. The four designed food packs will provide support to municipalities, because the composition of food packs complies with the nutrition and energy value regulation and does not exceed the planned budget. Parents will receive the developed recipe book in addition to a one-week food pack.

Highlights

Latvian municipalities addressed this by creating food packs for one week, taking into account the nutritional recommendations of the Ministry of Health
The study was implemented in the period from July to November 2020 and was divided into several stages: (1) analysis of recommendations and legislation acts; (2) selection of food products for food packs; (3) development of recipes from selected products to prepare healthy lunches for pupils throughout the week; (4) calculation of nutritional value and energy based on information from product labels and food products databases; (5) testing the recipes in practice; (6) performing the analysis of nutritional components and value for produced lunch meals; and (7) analysis of obtained results
The list of products included in one-week food packs is summarized in

Summary

Introduction

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the school learning process was provided remotely and a number of issues and challenges were raised in relation to free lunch meals. Latvian municipalities addressed this by creating food packs for one week, taking into account the nutritional recommendations of the Ministry of Health. In order to assist municipalities in designing one-week food packs, the Ministry of Health developed new recommendations on the provision of food packs to pupils during an emergency situation [2]. The recommendations state that the one-week food pack must contain at least

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Discussion

Conclusion