Take care of meals for boarding students

The organization of boarding meals at schools in Hai Phong demonstrates a sense of responsibility from the stage of food selection, menu development to processing and serving.

Boarding meals at Le Hong Phong Primary School are carefully prepared by the school.

Thoughtful and safe

At Phuc Le Kindergarten (Nam Trieu Ward), preparations for the children’s lunch begin in full swing early in the morning. At around 7:30, business owner Vu Duc Hanh (Le Ich Moc Ward) brings fresh food to the school for the kitchen staff to receive. Vegetables, meat, and fish are all carefully inspected before being processed.

“Every day, we keep food samples for 24 hours, the food has a clear origin, and has a food safety certificate. The cooks are all experienced and receive regular training on nutrition and kitchen hygiene,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, principal of the school.

With 382 children, each meal of Phuc Le Kindergarten students now costs 28,000 VND, an increase of 3,000 VND compared to the previous school year. Although the cost has increased, parents are in complete agreement when seeing their children being better cared for and having more nutritious meals. The school's menu is designed in a 10-day cycle without repeating dishes, and teachers change the way they prepare food so that students can enjoy their food and finish their portions. During the day, children have one main meal and two snacks, ensuring energy for the whole day of studying and playing.

The school has 8 staff members to ensure the preparation, cooking and distribution of meals are safe and clean. The kitchen is arranged in a one-way process, separating raw and cooked areas, fully equipped with sample storage equipment, refrigerators for preservation and equipment sterilization areas.

Teachers at Cong Hoa Kindergarten always take care of every meal for the children.

Cong Hoa Kindergarten (Lai Khe commune) currently has 294 children participating in the boarding program. Compared to the previous school year, the meal fee increased from 17,000 VND to 20,000 VND, including two meals: lunch and afternoon snack. In rural areas, the fee is lower than in urban areas, but the school still ensures a rich menu, full of nutrients: animal protein, vegetable protein, starch, fat, green vegetables, tubers and fruits. Teacher Do Thi Quan, principal of the school, said: "The children are still young, many of them are new to school, so organizing meals is not simple. Each teacher has to be both a teacher and a second mother, encouraging the children to finish their meals, helping them form healthy eating habits."

The highlight here is that the school uses Viettech software to calculate food quantities and nutritional portions for each age group. Thanks to that, children's meals are always balanced between groups of nutrients, avoiding excess or lack of nutrition. Food is signed to supply with Thanh Loc Company Limited (same commune) to ensure a stable supply and convenient quality control.

In addition, the school also focuses on training the skills of the nursing staff. Currently, the school has 4 catering staff who are professionally trained in cooking techniques, food preservation and first aid in case of food-related incidents. They all consider this job a daily joy.

Improve quality

To make childcare not just the responsibility of the school, the principals of kindergartens and primary schools regularly coordinate with parent representatives to check the children's meals.

Ms. Vu Thi Thu Huyen, representative of parents of students at Le Hong Phong Primary School, Phu Lien Ward, said that from the beginning of the school year, the parents' representative board and parents of students have been very concerned about the quality of meals at the school. Anyone who wants to check their children's meals can make a proposal so that the school can coordinate and attend the meals with their children. In addition, the children's menus are posted on the school's website for parents to know.

The lunch menu of Phuc Le Kindergarten does not overlap for 10 days.

According to the city's Department of Education and Training, in the 2025-2026 school year, boarding school will continue to be identified as one of the key tasks. Schools are encouraged to proactively coordinate with parents to maintain and improve the quality of this model.

According to Mr. Luong Van Viet, Director of the Department of Education and Training, preschool and primary schools need to innovate feeding methods, focus on hygiene, food safety and a diverse menu. Boarding meals not only meet nutritional needs but also contribute to forming good personality and habits for children.

After implementing the two-level local government, the People's Committee at the commune level has strengthened the supervision and inspection of boarding kitchens to ensure the safety of children. Mr. Nguyen Duc Dung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Trieu Ward, said: "We have established an interdisciplinary inspection team to conduct regular and surprise inspections. The goal is to absolutely not let poor quality food infiltrate into schools, and not let irresponsibility in the feeding process occur. Children's health is paramount."

In each school, the boarding meals not only provide energy but also help to form a healthy lifestyle and scientific routine for students. It is also the responsibility and love of the team of teachers and staff for the children. From these efforts, the boarding work is gradually becoming a bright spot in the movement to build happy schools in Hai Phong , contributing to the comprehensive development of students.

MINH NGUYEN

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/cham-lo-bua-an-ban-tru-cho-hoc-sinh-523317.html