Summary of school meal guidelines
A summary of the standards includes the following:
- Meals should be arranged so as to be conducted at 3 to 4-hour intervals
- Physical arrangements should be made for meals that promote enjoyment of meals, socialisation, well-being and health
- Pupils should be given enough time to eat; at least 20 minutes
- Pupils should be supervised by an adult at mealtimes
- Cold drinking water should be available at all times as a thirst quencher and to accompany meals
- Pupils should be offered schemes that ensure daily access to vegetables, fruit or berries
- Pupils should be offered schemes that ensure access to milk to accompany meals: reduced-fat semi-skimmed milk (0.7% fat), semi-skimmed milk (1% fat) and/or skimmed milk (0.1% fat)
- Arrangements should be made to ensure handwashing before meals
- The storage, preparation, serving and labelling of food must be carried out in compliance with rules and recommendations issued by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority
- The needs of pupils with food allergies or food intolerances should be accommodated
- If fruit juice is offered, units should not exceed 250 ml
- Carbonated soft drinks, squash and other beverages containing added sugar or artificial sweeteners and caffeinated beverages should not be offered
- Meals offered should be based on the Norwegian Directorate of Health's healthy eating guidelines and conform to the national nutritional standards
- Bread and cereals in school meals should be high in fibre and whole grains and low in fat, sugar and salt
- Bread toppings/spreads offered to pupils should be varied and always include fish and vegetables
- Any hot meals served should be a variety of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes
- Cooking oils and liquid and soft margarine should be used instead of hard margarine and butter
- Low-salt/sodium foods should be given priority and the use of salt/sodium as seasoning in food preparation and on meals should be limited
- Sugary and high-fat baked and other goods should be limited to special occasions
- Chocolate, confectionery, potato chips and other snacks should not be offered
- Eco-friendly practices should be aimed for to achieve minimal food waste and meal options in which plant-based foods and fish are focal