Fish is considered a healthy and balanced diet due to its high nutritional value. However, fish consumption remains low in the Czech Republic (~ 6-8 kg/person/year) and, in particular, very low in children, especially in the school diet. School cafeterias in the Czech Republic follow a 30-year-old decree on school dining (107/2005), which determines which ingredients the cafeterias should use under the framework of the so-called consumer basket (CB). To improve the situation, the Ministry of Health has proposed amendments to improve school meals by increasing fish dishes. The ingredients for meal preparation are covered by diners (usually parents), while the maximum price for lunch is 36 CZK. However, to meet CB requirements, many school cafeterias rely on low-quality, processed fish products, which often fail to deliver the nutritional benefits that the policy intends to promote.
Therefore, the students from the Faculty of Fisheries and Water Protection at the University of South Bohemia have launched a unique project named "Fish to Schools" in financial cooperation with ČSOB a.s. The main goal of this initiative is to introduce children to fish dishes as part of a healthy and balanced diet and, at the same time, increase their popularity among the younger generation.
The first phase of the project focuses on analyzing the current quality and popularity of fish dishes in selected kindergartens and elementary schools. The data obtained will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current offerings and will serve as a basis for designing better, more nutritious, and more attractive recipes for children.
A key part of the project is the practical presentation of tasty fish dishes prepared from high-quality ingredients. Children will be actively involved in the project, they will interactively evaluate individual dishes, and will provide valuable feedback.
An equally important part of the project is education about the nutritional importance of fish in the diet. Informational and practical activities will be aimed not only at children, but also at school cafeteria staff. We are preparing professional workshops that will provide training in preparing fish dishes that are tasty, attractive, and economical.
We believe that this project will contribute not only to improving the quality of school meals, but above all to creating healthier eating habits in children.
You can watch the video created for the project here.
