Parents sample school lunches during open-door days

About 800 parents have visited school canteens across Latvia to see what their children eat, with more than 50 schools taking part in the initiative for the third year, LSM reported.

At Ādaži Primary School, parents could buy the same lunch as pupils for €2.50 and choose from the dishes on offer. A mother of a first-grader said she wanted to see for herself what her child eats at school.

The school has 844 pupils and has used a self-service system since it opened. Children put together their own plates from a selection of dishes. The daily options include two types of salad and two or three side dishes, and pupils are encouraged to try unfamiliar foods.

School director Solvita Vasiļevska said even first- and second-graders manage the system, including serving their food and clearing away their dishes. The caterer said letting pupils choose their own portions helps reduce food waste: children take what they want to eat and can return for more if needed.

Self-service remains uncommon in Latvia. Baltic Restaurants, which caters at more than 200 educational institutions in the country, has introduced the system at 23 of them. In Estonia, it is used at all 88 schools served by the company.