Concerned Parents? Discover the School Nutrition Revolution

The Knesset Education Committee approved a series of welcome regulations this week that will change the face of school kiosks. Among the regulations: snacks, sweets, high-fat pastries, and fried foods will no longer be sold.

According to the regulations, the new menu of school kiosks will include pastries made of whole wheat flour, whole grain cereals with milk, soda, or water with mint instead of juice.

This is another step in the fight against the obesity epidemic among children and adolescents. For now, the law will only apply to cafeterias and vending machines, not to kitchens operating in educational institutions.

Under the new rules, kiosk owners will need to present the list of foods they intend to sell, and school administrations will present the list to students and parents.

Permitted Products:

Water, soda, water with herbal plants, natural fruit juice, milk, soy drink, fresh and washed vegetables and fruits, whole wheat pastries, cereals containing 70% whole wheat, tahini, avocado, natural nuts and almonds (not roasted or salted), popsicles weighing up to 80 grams, products that have not been fried (except for omelets), lean beef, skinless fish and chicken.

Prohibited Products:

Slush, energy drinks, sweetened drinks or diet drinks (with artificial sweeteners), fruit juice, and coffee or tea (in elementary schools), borekas, malawach, jachnun, pizza, cakes, cookies, croissants or waffles, instant noodles, chips, roasted seeds, savory snacks, pickles, high-fat dairy products, and chocolate snacks.

Additionally, beginning in a year and a half, it will be forbidden to sell in schools food products marked with a red label, indicating high sugar, sodium, or fat content.

The law defines financial sanctions for non-compliance: a fine of 6,000 shekels for serving prohibited food items, and a fine of 1,500 shekels for food suppliers who do not present a breakdown of the food composition sold.