Estonian schools celebrate a year of healthier, more sustainable meals

In March, 28 school meal caterers from Tallinn and Viimsi embarked on a six-part training as part of the SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) project. This series created a collaborative platform for participants to share their experiences, joys and challenges in providing nutritious meals to students. The training delved into fundamental food preparation techniques, explored how sensory experiences influence dietary preferences, and offered strategies for accommodating sociocultural differences and food intolerances. It also focused on substituting meat with healthier, more sustainable options, implementing zero-waste practices in the kitchen, and engaging the entire school community to enhance the overall school food experience. 

“Unfortunately, sustainable cooking has not gained a larger following in the food sector, except for a few good examples,” explained Kristi Tiido, a teacher at the Tallinn School of Service and one of the SF4C trainers in Estonia. “However, school meal providers have a big role in shaping the youth’s informed eating habits for the future. In the training, we will discuss how to do this in collaboration with the community.” 

By the end of the training, the caterers had prepared two sample menus that highlighted healthy and sustainable school food, featuring modern takes on classic meals, ideas for using locally sourced produce, and a variety of international and vegetarian options. 

Canteen Days bring the community together

As summer approached, Tallinn English College hosted the inaugural Canteen Days in Estonia. This festival brought together schoolteachers, students, cooks, parents and the wider community to sample new and exciting approaches to school food and to learn about healthy and sustainable nutrition. 

“Canteen Days bring forward the best nutritional practices and good ideas to children and parents, who are essential in fostering sustainable and healthy eating habits at home,” explained Evelin Piirsalu, Senior Expert at SEI Tallinn. “Children often hold an unconscious understanding that healthy food is not tasty. It is therefore necessary to consciously create an environment where children and youth start preferring healthy and sustainably sourced food,” she added, noting that nutritious school meals aid academic performance by helping children concentrate better.  

Tallinn English College organized their Canteen Days with a focus on international cuisine, where the the community tasted dishes from China, Ecuador, Pakistan, Mexico, the Philippines, Cameroon, Brazil and the USA. The international teachers, along with school chefs and students, prepared the meals. “Since we have a lot of international students and teachers, we wanted to introduce their culture through food,“ said Kadri Ruut, the head of extra-curricular activities at the college.  

Another Canteen Day event was held at Tallinn Rahumäe Basic School, where the community was offered a variety of interesting school meal examples and healthy snacks prepared by students. This nutritional showcase was complemented by the Street Olympics, which enabled children to try different sports activities. 

During these events, parents had the opportunity to learn about healthy nutrition from a nutritional therapist and Tallinn Board of Education’s SF4C promoter, Kendra Kairi Vaino, who debunked common food myths, such as misconceptions about carbohydrates and proteins, differences in calorie sources, and the myth about carrots improving eyesight, among other dietary insights. 

Highlighting the first schools to achieve WSFA bronze level

To end the school year on a high note, SEI Tallinn awarded the first Estonian schools with bronze-level certificates for adopting the Whole School Food Approach (WSFA). This holistic concept emphasizes not only the types of food served but also their sources and broader impact on health and the environment. Schools achieve the bronze level by meeting the minimal criteria of the WSFA. This involves adhering to 17 specific criteria across four key pillars: policy and leadership, food and sustainability, education and learning, and community and partnership. The first schools in Estonia to receive this honour were Tallinn English College, Tallinn Sydalinna School and Ristiku Basic School. 

The next school year in Estonia is set to bring more exciting events and achievements, with several schools expected to gain their WSFA bronze levels and additional Canteen Days kicking off in Viimsi Municipality. 

SchoolFood4Change activities in Estonia are coordinated by SEI Tallinn (lead partner), Tallinn City and Viimsi Municipality.