Turkiye’s school food is mainly based on buffet-style lunches. In 2020, the Ministry of Health updated its Food and Beverage Standards in Schools for school management and canteen operators, which includes guidance on new regulations on suitable/unsuitable to be sold. The country’s Healthy Nutrition and Active Life Programme promotes healthy school nutrition practices and supports a pilot school lunch programme, although there is currently no national school meal programme in Turkiye.
School Food
As of 2022, there is no national school meal programme in Türkiye, although there are plans to extend a pilot school lunch programme in the east and southeast regions across the whole country under the latest version of the Healthy Nutrition and Active Life Programme (2019-2023). The programme promotes healthy practices in nutrition services within school canteens and cafeterias via initiatives such as the Nutrition Friendly Schools Programme, which began in 2010 (since ended in 2021).
In 2016, the Ministry of Health developed voluntary nutrition guidelines for school food, the Food and Beverage Standards in Schools. The guidelines are intended for use by school management, canteen and buffet operators as well as families, and cover healthy choices (with a traffic light “labelling” system) and appropriate portion sizes for children and adolescents. Food and beverages in the guideline are grouped according to their energy and nutrient content as follows: green (high nutritional value), orange (includes some nutrients but energy (calorie/kcal), saturated fat, salt and sugar contents may be high), and red (low nutritional value and high energy (calorie/kcal), saturated fat, salt (sodium) and sugar content). The guidelines include recommendations on “greening” the school menu. They were updated in 2020 in line with new regulations on suitable/unsuitable food and beverages to be sold in food establishments such as canteens/cooperatives, cafeterias, buffets and tea shops operating under public and private schools/institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education.
The main characteristics of these standards are summarized below:
| Users of the guidance |
|
| School food covered |
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| Objectives |
|
| Basis | Food-based |
| Food groups covered | Vegetables and fruits; dairy; wholegrains; protein |
| Other guidance included | They also include recommendations on hygiene rules for school canteens |
Development process
The Food and Beverage Standards in Schools were developed for school canteens by examining school food nutrition guidelines from various countries, including the Australian National Healthy School Canteens Pocket Guide. They were prepared by the Ministry of Health, Healthy Nutrition and Active Life and the Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Department within the school of health studies. Recommendations on nutritious food/beverage choices for students were provided by the Ministry of Health’s School Food Scientific Committee. The guidelines are integrated within the framework of the Healthy Nutrition and Active Life Programme of Turkey (2019-2023).
The guidelines were updated in 2020 (Updated school food regulations) and are based on recommendations from the School Food Scientific Committee in a Ministry of National Education circular, which details compulsory regulations on suitable/unsuitable food to be sold in school canteens. Further materials were developed in 2020 to support menu planning using the guidelines.
Implementation
An implementation plan for the food and beverage standards in schools and updated school food regulations is currently under review.
Monitoring and evaluation
As part of the Nutrition-Friendly School Project and in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, nearly one third of schools were evaluated on various criteria including compliance with the Food and Beverage Standards. Schools were rewarded with a three-year certificate for a score of 90 or more out of 100 points (based on annual inspections). However, the initiative was disbanded in 2021, although 16,828 schools (28% of all schools) will continue their education as “Nutrition Friendly Schools”. The Ministry of National Education is working on developing a new School Nutrition Programme.
A monitoring and evaluation plan for the updated regulations to cover pre-packaged food sold in schools is currently under review.
- Food and beverage standards in schools (2016)
- National menu planning and implementation guide for mass consumption in different places (schools etc.)
- Nutrition recommendations and menu programmes for school aged children and pre-school children
- Updated school food regulations (2020)
- School approved products
- Menu models and sample lunch lists developed for full-day schools
- Healthy lunch box
- Healthy nutrition and active life programme (2019-2023)