Vegetarian Day in schools in Helsinki
As of early 2011, for one day each week Helsinki schools serve vegetarian food only. One can detect differences in students’ attitudes towards this depending upon both their chosen studies and gender.
Vegetarian food has been on the lunchmenu since the autumn of 2007. In 2010 the Helsinki city councillor decided to initiate a vegetarian day during which only vegetarian food would be served.
How have students responded to the Vegetarian Day?
- Around half of the students have wished that there would also be a meat or fish alternative, says Jaana Kujala at Palmia, which is responsible for the food.
- It is, after all, not that many households that prepare vegetarian food at home. More often they have a salad as an accompaniment to meat or fish. In that way vegetarian food is a challenge.
Students in primary, secondary and vocational schools were asked to participate in the planning of the Vegetarian Day. It will soon be one year since the Vegetarian Day was initiated and no surveys regarding students’ opinions have been conducted. However, Jaana Kujala can spot trends in students’ reactions, also when it comes to gender.
- My perception is that older male students in secondary schools and students at technical vocational schools oppose the Vegetarian Day to a greater extent while women in secondary schools support it the most. Students studying for exams within social care, health care and beauty care also support the initiative.
- So it is both about what subject you are studying and about gender, says Jaana Kujala.
The Vegetarian Day has been welcomed by many studying subjects related to health care or by those who are attending secondary schools with an emphasis on art. Kujala estimates that half of these students ate vegetarian food already before the Vegetarian Day. New courses, such as vegetarian chickpea risotto and potato - root vegetable wok with coconut milk, have been developed for the Vegetarian Day. Surveys conducted among the students reveal that noodle and pasta dishes are the most popular.
In the Finnish schools lunch is served to both students and personnel. A school lunch typically consists of a main course plus salad, bread and milk, sour milk or water to drink. The school lunch is free of charge for all students.
The Vegetarian Day will continue in schools in Helsinki. Jaana Kujala notes that discussions about food today often focus upon ecologically produced and local food. But Kujala says that much more resources are needed if school food is to contain more of this type of food.
There are other similar initiatives with vegetarian food around the Nordic region, such as the ”Meatless Monday” campaign
in Sweden which began in 2010.
