The new school year in Israel is starting off healthy thanks to new government regulations put in place by the Ministry of Health. A recently signed provision requires afternoon programs and kindergartens to serve nutritious food, and provide educational context surrounding it.
The new program begins at the perfect time to instill healthy eating habits in children, as much of a child’s future development and habits are optimally instilled to children up until they are six years of age. When children grow up eating healthy and understanding the importance of good nutrition, they are more likely to continue their healthy lifestyle into adulthood. Across nurseries and kindergartens, children will be served healthy food options with minimal saturated fat, salt and sugar, and plenty of the freshly grown produce and whole grain products will hit the lunch tables.
In addition to providing healthy options to eat, the children will learn about hygiene and other healthy habits, like washing hands, drinking water and making healthy food options. Not only will the school’s health habits influence each child’s development on a physical and intellectual scale, it will also create a healthier economy overall. For the government, it also will prove worthwhile as it will likely curb health problems by minimizing obesity and eating disorders, as well as reduce healthcare costs for the state and families overall. Starting nurseries off with such nourishment is bound to serve as a positive influence in communities around Israel.
