Get creative to make school lunches at 35,000 VND both nutritious and delicious.

Ms. Huynh Thi Bich Lien, vice principal of Son Ca 2 Kindergarten, gave a presentation about the school's lunch program. The meal included eel porridge with red beans and potatoes. - Photo: H.HG

On the afternoon of April 17th, 19 preschools in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, participated in a competition to prepare school lunch meals for children with the theme "Delicious Dishes for Preschoolers". The competition was organized by the Phu Nhuan District Department of Education and Training at Son Ca 10 Preschool.

Preparing lunch and afternoon snacks with a budget of 35,000 VND per child.

Each preschool will form a team of three: one member of the school's management board in charge of the school lunch program, one catering staff member, and one kitchen assistant. The teams will compete in two parts: a knowledge test involving creating a school lunch menu and a weekly nutritional plan for preschool children, along with a detailed description of ingredients and preparation methods.

The judges were impressed with the colorful school lunch served at Son Ca 12 Kindergarten - Photo: H.HG

In the practical part of the competition, teams had to prepare a one-day school lunch for 10 preschool children, including lunch and afternoon snack, with a budget of 35,000 VND per child. This is the actual meal cost at preschools in Ho Chi Minh City today.

At the competition for preparing school lunch meals for preschool children, many spectators were surprised by the creativity of the school's administrators and catering staff.

Some schools prepare fairly simple meals for their children, while others make them quite elaborate, but all are visually appealing to attract preschool children. Furthermore, the dishes must contain all the necessary nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins.

Creating innovative school lunch programs.

A visually appealing and delicious meal at Hoa Mi 9A Kindergarten - Photo: H.HG

For example, Son Ca 2 Kindergarten has a dish of eel porridge with red beans and potatoes. "Previously, our school used to cook eel porridge with green beans and lotus seeds. However, the students got tired of eating it all the time. Therefore, the school prepared a new dish that is both nutritious and new to the taste so that the children can finish their portion," said Ms. Huynh Thi Bich Lien, vice principal of Son Ca 2 Kindergarten.

Similarly, Son Ca 5 Kindergarten has a dish called fried taro with shrimp. "Kindergarten children love fried food and are reluctant to eat vegetables. Therefore, we created a new dish consisting of taro, shrimp, corn, and carrots, shaped into balls, then coated in batter and fried until golden brown."

"Even the dipping sauce for this dish is homemade by the school kitchen with tomatoes and egg butter. This is currently our students' favorite dish," shared Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Thuy, vice principal of Son Ca 5 Kindergarten.

Many delegates came to sample the lotus seed milk drink at Son Ca 14 Kindergarten - Photo: H.HG

The teachers also varied the drinks to make eating more interesting for the students. At the event, many delegates came to try the lotus seed milk from Son Ca 14 Kindergarten. Ms. Le Cam Linh, the school principal, said: "The children drink traditional milk every day, and many of them complain about being tired of drinking it. Therefore, we make various types of nut milk to offer them a change of pace. Besides corn milk and lotus seed milk, the school will soon be making sesame milk as well."

In Phu Nhuan district, all preschools have on-site kitchens that prepare meals for students. From menu planning and ingredient procurement to food preparation, everything is managed and directly handled by the school.

Cooking meals for school children is not simple.

Son Ca 5 Kindergarten presents their dish: fried taro cake with shrimp - Photo: H.HG

As the only male judge at the competition, Mr. Ngo Giang Hoang Han, a parent from Son Ca 10 Kindergarten, commented: "I was very surprised to see that all the dishes included vegetables and fruits… they looked very beautiful because of their vibrant colors. This is why many children prefer eating at school to eating at home. Witnessing the preparation of the school lunch today made me realize how meticulous and dedicated the kindergarten's cooks are. They have to cook for 300-400 students every day, so imagine how hard that must be for them."

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sang-tao-de-bua-an-ban-tru-35-000-dong-vua-bo-duong-vua-la-mieng-20240417214518097.htm