The UAE Ministry of Education has banned certain types of foods at all school canteens to contribute to a healthy diet for children to live a healthy, better lifestyle.
- Chips and crisps
- Chocolate bars with or without nuts
- Instant noodles
- All cream cakes, doughnuts
- Processed junk meat and hot dogs
- Lollipops, sweets and jellies
- Carboned, fizzy drinks, iced milkshakes, teas, slushes, artificially flavoured drinks
- All peanut items to prevent allergic reactions
- Ice-creams, frozen desserts
The new guidelines have been created to follow the global health standards and maintain a fit lifestyle by ensuring nutritious and 5-day foods are provided to students that will enable them to function and grow well.
This will avoid diseases in children from malnutrition such as anorexia, obesity, anaemia that can disrupt the normal growth of bones and functionality due to not gaining the right vitamins and minerals.
The Ministry have informed all schools and parents to ensure that none of the students brings any of these banned foods in their packed and ensures they are served with nutritional breakfast in the morning before coming to school and bring a healthy packed lunch that contains their 1 or 2 of 5 a day.