Selection of foods at school lunch
| Food Category | Recommended choices | Availability at school lunch |
| Vegetables, fruit and berries | in a wide variety, according to season | At every meal in different forms. Herbs for seasoning. |
| Legumes (peas, beans and lentils or other sources of protein of plant origin) | in a wide variety, as sources of protein in vegetarian main meals, favouring local food as far as possible | As a vegetarian meal once a week or as a side dish |
| Potato and grain side dishes | Boiled potatoes, whole grain pasta, bar- ley, whole grain porridge and whole grain/ dark rice | Potatoes varyingly as boiled unpeeled, cubes, strips, slices or mash. Whole grain types of pasta and rice, both as side dishes and integrated in main dishes |
| Bread | Lower-salt (soft bread max. salt content 0.7 g/100 g, crispbread max. 1.2 g/100 g) whole grain bread (fibre content min. 6 g/100 g, crispbread min. 10 g/100 g) | At every meal |
| Milk/milk drink and buttermilk Liquid dairy products/ fermented dairy products | Fat-free products fortified with vitamin D Fat-free and max. 1% fat products, and unsweetened and low added sugar products. Sugar content of yogurt and curd max. 10 g/100 g and curd milk max. 12 g/100 g | Milk/milk drink and buttermilk at every meal Plain yogurt, curd milk or curd to be pre- ferred. With flavoured products, favour low-sugar or sugar-free yogurts, curd milk and curd. |
| Cheese | Low-fat (max. 17% fat) and lower-salt (salt content max. 1.2 g/100 g) products | At most once a week as bread topping |
| Fish* | Fish species to be varied | At 1–2 meals/week |
| Poultry | without skin | ar 1-2 meals/week |
| Red meat (beef, pork, mutton), minced meat | Low-fat meat | At most 1-2 meals/week |
| Meat products and sausages | Low-fat and lowe-salt meat products | Deli meats at most once a week. Dishes containing sausages or other meat products are not to be served every week |
| Egg | in food, as bread topping, as side dish | |
| Fat spread | Margarine with a fat content of min. 60% | Bread spread |
| Vegetable oil | Rapeseed oil | in salad dressing or such with salad |
| Nuts, almonds and seeds** | Varying varieties (considering allergies on individual basis) | At most 15-30g/day |
*Fish eating recommendations: https://www.evira.fi/en/foodstuff/information-on-food/food-hazards/restriction-on-the-use-of- foodstuffs/dietary-advice-on-fish-consumption/
** Restriction of amount is justified particularly because nuts, almonds and seeds contain a lot of energy due to their high fat content. Heavy metals from the soil are accumulated in the seeds of some oil plants (such as flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp and chia). For this reason, the recommended portion of seeds is 2 tablespoons per day for adults. For children, the portion can be about half of the adult portion.
Selection of foods for snacks
| Food Category | Recommended choices | Practical implementation |
| Vegetables, fruit and berries | Wide variety, according to season | At every snack in different forms. Un- cooked and colourful vegetables, berries and fruit are to be preferred, served as such, root vegetables as wedges, on bread, in smoothies, in curd snacks, as dipping pieces and in compotes made from fresh berries. Vegetables used abundantly also in pies, pancakes, hot sandwiches and similar snacks. |
| Legumes (peas, beans and lentils) | in a wide variety | Pastes made from legumes (hummus etc.) as bread spread |
| Bread and porridges | Lower-salt (soft bread max. salt content 0.7 g/100 g, crispbread max. 1.2 g/100 g) whole grain bread (fibre content min. 6 g/100 g, crispbread min. 10 g/100 g) | At every snack in different forms. Whole grain products to be preferred. Porridges made from berries and fruit to be also served. Bran and groats to be used in doughs, yogurts and smoothies. |
| Baked goods* | Low fat products with lower sugar and salt content | Yeast dough to be preferred over puff and shortbread dough. Buns and yeast dough pies with berry/fruit filling to be served as sweet pastries. Karelian pastries and low- fat pastries with vegetable filling. |
| Milk/milk drink and buttermilk Liquid dairy products/ fermented dairy products | Fat-free products fortified with vitamin D Fat-free and max. 1% fat products, and unsweetened and low added sugar products. Sugar content of yogurt and curd max. 10 g/100 g and curd milk max. 12 g/100 g. | Plain yogurt, curd milk or curd to be preferred. With flavoured products, favour low-sugar or sugar-free yogurts, curd milk and curd. |
| Cheese | Low-fat (max. 17% fat) and lower-salt (salt content max. 1.2 g/100 g) products | At most once a week |
| Fish** | Fish species to be varied | Fish-based spreads, burgers |
| Meat products and sausages | Low-fat and lower-salt meat products | At most once a week as deli meats |
| Egg | in food preparation, baking, as bread topping/side dish | |
| Fat spreads | Margarine with a fat content of min 60% | Bread spread |
| nut, almonds and seeds** | Varying varieties (considering allergies on individual basis) | At most 15-30g/day |
*Heart Symbol criteria can be applied to selection of baked goods.
** Fish eating recommendations: https://www.evira.fi/en/foodstuff/information-on-food/food-hazards/restriction-on-the-use-of- foodstuffs/dietary-advice-on-fish-consumption/
*** Restriction of amount is justified particularly because nuts, almonds and seeds contain a lot of energy due to their high fat content. Heavy metals from the soil are accumulated in the seeds of some oil plants (such as flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp and chia). For this reason, the recommended portion of seeds is 2 tablespoons per day for adults. For children, the portion can be about half of the adult portion.