The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, visited educational institutions in the Khmelnytskyi region where the School Nutrition Reform is being implemented. In one of them, the kitchen facility and the dining hall have been renovated, while in another, all food quality standards were built in from the very start of construction.
“To modernize more than a dozen educational institutions, communities used a state subvention specifically allocated for these needs. I’d like to remind all regions that this opportunity exists – apply for it and make use of it. Local budgets also contributed funding. Co-financing is what makes it possible to achieve the best results for children,” Olena Zelenska said.
During a meeting with heads of local communities, Head of the Regional Military Administration Serhii Tiurin noted that another 21 institutions had been modernized using local budget funds and support from charitable organizations.
The President’s wife emphasized that communication with all participants is a vital component of the reform.
“The goal of the reform is not simply to feed children, even in difficult times. Its original, pre-war purpose was to provide healthy meals, cultivate a culture of nutrition, and raise a healthy generation. And if everyone implementing the reform in their community keeps that focus, there will be results,” the First Lady stressed.
While in Khmelnytskyi, Olena Zelenska also attended an event dedicated to healthy eating culture: the festival School Food Fest: Healthy with Roots. It featured masterclasses on preparing traditional and modern dishes, along with other activities for parents and children involving professional chefs.
The event took place at a culinary hub that is part of the School Nutrition Reform. In less than a year, more than 300 cooks have completed training there.
“If after a school lunch or a festival like this a child brings home a healthy recipe or new knowledge, shares it with their family, and keeps that habit for life, then we can say the reform is working – and that a healthy generation is growing up in Ukraine,” the First Lady concluded.