Cafeterias in schools and educational institutions served by Palvelukeskus Helsinki will celebrate the day with minced meat and veggie burgers, roasted root vegetables and custard for dessert.
School meals have evolved over time
Free school meals have been offered in Helsinki for more than 80 years. What started with porridges and gruel has become more varied over time, and modern dishes such as tortillas and falafel have appeared on the menu. However, some of the older favourites such as fish fingers and spinach pancakes are still served.
This autumn’s novelty on the Palvelukeskus Helsinki school cafeteria menu are bolognese meatballs, i.e. meatballs with a smaller carbon footprint than the conventional option.
“Pupils have very much wanted meatballs back on the menu, and this autumn they will return – with a slight makeover. Bolognese meatballs are a hybrid product that combine the best of meat and plant proteins. They are more climate-friendly than regular meatballs, but still taste familiar to those who eat meat. Bolognese meatballs were tested in schools in connection with the Just Food project, at which time they were well received,” explains service manager Tuulia Pelli from Palvelukeskus Helsinki.
Important service for families with children
For many families with children, school lunch brings relief to everyday life after the summer holiday. In Helsinki, pupils are offered two hot meal options plus a salad table and beverages every day.
A varied and healthy lunch helps the pupils get through the school day and focus on studying.
“The recipes are carefully thought out during our product development and designed by professionals to comply with school meal recommendations and be as tasty as possible for the pupils. If a pupil eats a meal that complies with the plate model of a healthy diet at school, they will get enough nourishment until the next meal,” Pelli assures.
Helsinki was the first city in Finland to start offering free school meals in 1943. The unincorporated county enterprise Palvelukeskus Helsinki and its predecessor organisations have been involved in the school meal service for as long. Palvelukeskus Helsinki prepares a school lunch for around 44,000 pupils in Helsinki every day.
