Spain bans junk food in schools: Drive towards nutritious lunches comes as a third of kids considered ‘overweight’

THE Spanish government has taken a big step towards healthier lunches for children in schools to combat overweight and obesity in children.

Under new legislation passed this week, schools are banned from selling soft drinks, processed pastries and overly processed foods. 

All schools, public and private, from preschool to high school, have to provide five nutritious meals in a new move that seeks to use the school cafeteria as a tool to teach healthy habits and close the wealth-inequality gap for lower-income families. 

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As many as 36% of Spanish schoolchildren are overweight, with that number almost reaching 50% for low-income families, according to a study by the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition.

School cafeterias will now serve more fresh produce, whole grains and fish, while avoiding high-sugar and high-fat foods. 

Certain allocations have been put in place to ensure that the menu offerings are well-balanced.

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The new decree states that 45% of fresh fruits and vegetables need to be seasonal, one to three servings every week should include fish and that there needs to be at least one serving of whole-wheat pasta and bread a week. 

The decree also states that a maximum of five grams of sugar is allowed in a single container, meaning that all soft drinks, juices and energy drinks are banned from being sold in school. 

The new rules also limit the sale of pre-cooked foods such as pizzas, fried foods and croquettes to one serving per month.