THE PROPOSAL to dedicate one day per week entirely to vegetarian food in schools and day care centres has caused heated conversation during the past month. Websites offering place for conversation over the issue are packed with supporting and opposing opinions alike. Some cheer on the proposal initiated by Emma Kari of the Greens, regarding it an excellent method to teach children about healthy eating and ecological decisions. Others are appalled by the idea that their growing children will be denied meat of any kind, worried that they will not receive a sufficient amount of energy and protein to keep them going until the evening. At least Helsinki has already approved the proposal along with Tampere, where the weekly vegetarian day will commence next year.

Helsinki Times talked to Marja-Leena Ovaskainen of the National Institute for Health and Welfare in order to obtain an expert’s opinion on the issue. In short, Ovaskainen supports the proposal, but emphasises that to obtain a truly healthy diet one must eat the proper combination of foods from all food groups. “What the proposal suggests is only a slight change to the current practise in school cafeterias that now follow a menu of six weeks, with three vegetarian days,” she explains. “There are more important issues to bicker over than a weekly vegetarian day. The most significant matter in my opinion is the amount of money that is spent for the food. At the moment it is all about making sure that school meals do not exceed the budget rather than making sure they comprise of a healthy and diverse combination of foods.”

Ovaskainen stresses that parents should talk to their children about meals. “The problem is not really that school meals don’t offer a healthy combination of foods, but that many children choose only a few products of certain groups on their plate. Children should be taught to know how to assemble a healthy meal for themselves, including the main meal, bread, salad and a drink – all on offer in schools everyday.” Ovaskainen believes that in general Finns aim to eat healthily and are aware of what they should eat, but reaching the goal is not always what happens. The safest way to make sure one obtains all the necessary foods is to have lunch at a restaurant or a work cafeteria and eat some of all the food groups available she says.

One problem concerning a healthy diet is the fact that people don’t often eat enough fruit and vegetables, Ovaskainen explains. She reminds that each day people should eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables. “Considering this, a weekly vegetarian day is a good reminder for children and young people to eat enough fruit and vegetables. I don’t personally support the idea of young people following a full time vegetarian diet, merely for the fact that it is much more difficult to obtain all that is necessary for a healthy diet. But it is very important to remember that fruit and vegetables are one of the best sources of vitamins.”

PETRA NYMAN - HT