2014 – Beaconhouse School System, Pakistan

2014 – Beaconhouse School System, Gulshan Primary Campus, Pakistan

JUNIOR MASTER CHEFS TAUGHT PARENTS AND THEIR PEERS TO MAKE HEALTHY SCHOOL MEALS

Background
At a growing stage all students require a certain level of daily nutritional value from the food they consume daily, to stay healthy and fit either for studying or for being active in the playground. We need to fulfil the nutritional needs of our children as they are the future of our country.

What we did / what we are doing
On 16th February 2014, Beacon House Gulshan Primary Campus celebrated International School Meals Day by engaging students and parents in various activities to select a healthy lifestyle at school, at home and at their offices. This special event celebrated food and promoted healthy living through the educational environment. Students decorated their canteen area with a beautiful shed giving the looking of a restaurant and all children were wearing chef caps, aprons and gloves. They prepared and served healthy food to their friends and parents with the help of their teachers.

Parents were asked if they pay attention to the nutritional value they are giving to their children while feeding them breakfast and packing their lunch box each day. To make students and parents aware of the importance of healthy living, brochures were distributed among them showcasing the nutritional value of each food item we consume daily. Little Beacon House Chefs showed their parents that they care about their health and don’t want to miss any fun and activity at school or at home by getting sick, encouraging their parents to provide them with those food items which would keep them fit, healthy and energetic.

A few simple breakfast and lunch box recipes were circulated among parents who were asked to team up with their children to compete against other groups by making the best healthy lunch using fresh vegetables, fruits, bread, juices, e.t.c. Students and parents enjoyed this engaging activity, the team who made the best healthy school meal were awarded with tasty cupcakes and lunch boxes for the children.

Further we engaged students in the WWF Science Carnival at PAF Museum to create awareness and to reinforce the concept of an environment friendly lifestyle. A group of students also planted some vegetables and herbs for the school garden which were displayed at the carnival. Through this activity students got to know about the importance of vegetables and plants and how they can make them healthy. They understood the joy and benefits of having fresh vegetables from their own garden!

Outcome(s)
Having learnt the value of nutritional food, students have started bringing healthy food and avoiding all sorts of junk food as they are now aware of the nutritional value of food they are consuming each day.

Next steps
We will grow a bigger vegetable garden from which we can use fresh vegetables and utilize them in our cafeteria to make healthy food for our students and faculty members. We will constantly remind our students of the nutritional benefits of each food they consume either from the canteen or the lunch box.

Contact name
Ms. Madiha Dar

Email address
madiha_86@hotmail.com

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