Among the 20 schools in the Kaunas district that use the self-service model, Babtų Gymnasium joined. Vice Mayor Raminta Popovienė, head of the Department of Culture, Education and Sports came to try the modernized canteen, the exclusive “buffet table” and the updated menu. specialist Žydra Narbutienė and Babtų elder Gediminas Pupinis.
“While I was in this beautiful dining room today, I remembered my visit to Sweden 10 years ago, where we saw for the first time what the principle of a “buffet table” is with a team of cooks from Kaunas district schools. Then the Swedish chef’s words stuck with me very well, that the students’ lunch break is for rest, energy and socializing in the school restaurant. Since then, step by step, we have tried to show that it can be the same in Lithuania as it is in the Scandinavian countries”, said the head of the Culture, Education and Sports Department about the beginning of the self-service catering model in Kaunas district schools. Žydra Narbutienė, specialist in charge of catering in educational institutions.
The self-service table pilot project was started in 2017, when the Ministers of Health Protection and Education, Science and Sports proposed the Kaunas District Municipality to accept the challenge – to introduce new measures, changing the food culture, applying the student self-service model. The results of the project met the expectations, so today full or partial service type “buffet tables” are operating in 20 schools in Pakaunea.
“We are very happy that this catering model has really proven itself. We see that schoolchildren like to choose their own food and portion size, so little by little we develop an eating culture and waste less food. Over 7 years, food waste has decreased from 50 to 80 percent in different schools. We are glad that your community has joined this process and from now on you will eat even more modernly and with better quality”, said Vice-Mayor Raminta Popovienė.
Renata Liagienė, director of Babtų Gymnasium, while presenting the changes, emphasized that it is not only the canteen environment or food model that is being updated: “Along with the buffet, we are completely changing the menu as well. Today we already have one plant-based dish. And from next week, we will start with a new menu, where among the usual dishes, you will see completely new ones.”
Kaunas district schools were the first in the country to implement the buffet principle, and the organization of children’s meals has been presented as an example to be followed in the country’s educational institutions for several years.
Tags: Kaunas district network schools implemented buffet catering model expanding
