The Romanian Senate approved today by 119 votes to 120 the transformation of the school meal program from the current “Corn, Fruit and Milk” program to a healthy breakfast, an initiative of REPER MP Catalin Tenice. The project envisages an increase in the number of portions of dairy products, bakery products, fruits and vegetables that schoolchildren will receive. The bill is sent to the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body, for approval.

A week ago, the Senate Education Committee issued a UNANIMOUS report adopting the proposed changes:

– Milk and dairy products, 5 portions per week per child (from 3 portions at the moment);

– Fruits and vegetables, 5 portions per week per child (from 2 portions at the moment);

– Corn and other bakery products must be varied and truly fresh, consumed within 24 hours of production;

– Additional appropriations for provision of alternative products for children with lactose or gluten intolerance;

– Support of small local producers (auctions on lots of smaller geographical extent and with separation of types of products/services purchased);

– The possibility of supporting budgets through timely calculation (affects the most vulnerable sections of the population);

– Short chains of procurement methods;

– the possibility of indexation with inflation to eliminate situations when suppliers do not appear at auctions (as now);

– Educational activities on healthy eating habits that bring children closer to the environment and concepts such as rural agronomy and avoiding food waste;

– Program monitoring in open data mode.

“I thank my colleagues in the Senate from all parties, colleagues who have seriously concerned and understood this topic, making the necessary amendments and showing once again that only a joint, cross-party effort can create progress for the children of Romania. The first step is to improve the school meal program, which is essential to the minimal well-being of many children. We are moving forward to the Chamber of Deputies with hope!” said Katalin Tenice, the deputy initiator of the project.

Currently, under the current Corn and Milk program in schools, a child receives only corn at all times, every school day, while milk and dairy products are offered only three servings a week, and fruits and vegetables only twice a week. week. At the same time, the corn is old, the law allows it to be consumed even 7 days after its production, and the proposed products are not diverse and do not sufficiently cover the child’s daily nutritional needs, says the initiator of the legislative project.

Photo: ID35953994©Katarzyna Bialasiewicz|Dreamstime.com