Dubai Municipality has found several issues in school canteens across the emirate, such as low availability of fruits options and the use of restricted ingredients.

The civic body, as part of its My School Food campaign, is carrying out a detailed audit covering more than 200 schools in the city as part of its My School Food campaign and has examined over 7,000 food items in the process.

A spokesperson said the audit, which is one of the most comprehensive ever done in the city, found several problems.“Many schools still offer limited fruit options, even though it is one of the most effective ways to improve nutrition on a daily basis,” said Hassa Al Sumaiti, Acting Head of Applied Nutrition and Awareness Section.

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"We also observed a wide gap between schools that offer smart choices, and those that struggle highlighting inadequate inequality in what students receive. And finally, some snacks exceeded nutritional limits or included restricted ingredients, meaning we need to strengthen both guidance and oversight.”

She was speaking during a session about school nutrition at the Dubai International Food Safety Conference, which began on Monday. Attended by school leaders, teachers, and students, the session was part of DM's efforts to build relations with the community.

The audits are phase one of a strategic roadmap - a journey that all schools will take in the upcoming months to improve school food systems in Dubai. After the audit, DM created a benchmark tailored to meet the local needs of the emirate and conducted a pilot project with selected schools.

"Before any new tool or guideline is introduced citywide, we test it with selected schools and suppliers,” she said.“These pilots allow us to refine our approach, address challenges and to change the plan or guideline based on these challenges."

She added that the pilot will soon be implemented on a city level, covering all schools in the emirate.

According to Hassa, the offerings of school canteens can influence the future of a child's relationship with food.“What students have in their canteen today, influences their habits during their adulthood,” she said.“Early eating habits build lifelong patterns and protecting children from obesity and chronic diseases starts with the choices available at their schools."

She added that the food available in schools has a direct impact on children's learning. "A nourished child concentrates better and behaves more positively and has the mental energy that is needed to succeed academically,” she said.“Schools shape families. So what children learn at their canteen and in schools will influence their families and communities.”

During the event, several students who participated in the school food hero competition conducted by DM were honoured for their entries.

In the poster category, Jillian Jose Manaloto from Apple International School was crowned winner for her idea of a smartplate in school canteens. The project outlined an AI-powered system that would monitor meals, check food health, and give recommendations based on the meal.

In the video category, winner Lamar Mohammed Adil from Pristine International School presented a video about an AI-powered canteen that would reduce food waste and the use of single-use plastics.

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