Dubai – Rehab Halawa and Wael Naim
The Dubai Municipality has confirmed that its Food Safety Department is responsible for overseeing and monitoring 456 educational food establishments annually within the emirate. This includes regular inspection visits to ensure compliance with food safety regulations and healthy nutrition guidelines, as well as monitoring the adherence of school canteens to established systems, ensuring a safe and sustainable food environment for students.
The municipality requires schools to maintain a monitoring rating of at least grade A or B, allowing only food items listed on an approved food list that adhere to the “Smart Food Options” classification. This classification has four levels: green, which is permitted daily; light orange, allowed occasionally; red, permitted rarely; and black, which is completely prohibited.
At the beginning of the current academic year, schools in the emirate adopted new menus focusing on providing balanced, healthy meals for students, completely banning unhealthy foods like chips, chocolate, sodas, and energy drinks. School administrations emphasized that the purpose of this policy is to enhance health awareness among young generations and instill healthy eating habits that positively affect their academic performance and lifestyle. They reiterated that the school canteen has evolved into a component of the educational system, rather than just a place for food service.
Specialized Team
The Dubai Municipality noted that it has a specialized team comprised of five certified food safety inspectors dedicated to supervising educational institutions. This team conducts regular field inspections to ensure that school canteens comply with food safety and nutritional requirements. Additionally, the Applied Nutrition and Awareness Department conducts training sessions and workshops aimed at building the capacity of food safety officials and canteen staff through specialized scientific content and interactive tools.
Regulations
The municipality stated its commitment to applying strict standards to ensure the availability of healthy and safe food options in school canteens, supporting students’ health and promoting positive eating behaviors among them.
Schools receive a special food permit from the Dubai Municipality’s Permits Department after a thorough review of the proposed menu. The municipality imposes clear restrictions on sugar, salt, fat quantities, and portion sizes to ensure nutritional balance for the students.
School canteens must prioritize providing healthy options such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy and light proteins, and safe beverages like water and low-fat milk. The municipality aims for gradual annual objectives to increase the percentage of green-classified foods while decreasing orange and red options to promote sustainable healthy eating behaviors in the school environment.
Monitoring System
The municipality oversees school canteens through a comprehensive monitoring system implemented under the Food Safety Department’s supervision to ensure adherence to the highest standards of food safety and nutrition within the educational setting. The monitoring process includes regular inspection visits to all schools and daily compliance monitoring via the DMChecked platform, allowing inspectors to accurately and transparently track canteen performance. Additionally, the approved school menus are audited to ensure compliance with the Dubai Food and Nutrition Guidelines for educational institutions.
Every school is required to appoint a food safety officer and a nutrition officer, who must be trained, qualified, and certified to ensure full compliance with daily procedures, along with a review and approval of all food items served by the Dubai Municipality’s Permits Department to ensure alignment with established quality, safety, and dietary classification standards.
Diversity and Balance
School administrations have indicated that the new menus consider nutritional diversity and balance, presenting details about calorie content and ingredients transparently. Other schools have highlighted that healthy food has become part of their educational identity, while canteen administrations emphasize involving students and parents in proposing new healthy meals, along with the implementation of smart card systems to accurately track student purchases. These schools agree that the ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive educational environment that supports students’ physical and mental health, positively reflected in their academic achievements.
Weekly Menus
Mohammed Al-Shouli, the operations director at Gulf International School, confirmed that the school provides thoughtfully designed meals within rotating weekly menus that are divided into three cycles (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3), combining plant-based and meat dishes. Whole grain pasta with Alfredo or tomato sauces is offered almost daily, along with either Margarita flatbread or chicken.
Al-Shouli noted that the school employs a smart card system for students to recharge their account balances via the school’s website or an app, allowing parents to closely monitor their children’s food purchases and ensuring transparency and oversight regarding food quality within the school. He emphasized that “healthy food is not just an option, but a methodology we adhere to for building a healthier, more capable generation.”
Dietary Plan
Yasser Ibrahim Suwaileh, the director of support services and health and safety officer at Dubai National School Al Barsha, stated that the school has established a comprehensive dietary plan based on the directives of the Dubai Municipality to guarantee the provision of healthy, balanced meals that cater to students’ ages and daily needs.
He explained that the school has set calculated limits for each food portion regarding calories, added sugars, and dietary fiber content, tailored to students’ age groups, while striving to reduce sugar levels and increase fiber to enhance the nutritional value of meals. Moreover, a focus on dietary variety is maintained through menus that include vegetables and fruits to ensure the required balance.
Suwaileh mentioned that the school encourages the provision of water and healthy drinks, with clear labels on foods that have dietary restrictions or contain allergens, ensuring that students and parents are aware of each meal’s components.
He added that the school has appointed a specialized nutrition supervisor to oversee the application of dietary standards and conduct regular monitoring, in addition to periodic surveys to measure student satisfaction regarding food quality and opportunities for them to suggest new food items for the menu.
He confirmed the school’s full compliance with the Dubai Municipality’s dietary standards, emphasizing that these measures aim to enhance overall student health and support a comprehensive educational environment that prioritizes their physical safety.
Students’ Needs
Seyyed Mohammad Moudhaffar Mousavi, operations director at American Knowledge School, stated that the selection process for food involves precise standards that consider diversity and balance, with a focus on involving students and parents in suggesting new healthy meals. He mentioned that the school is committed to updating food menus every semester, incorporating innovative dishes that cater to the diverse tastes of students without compromising health standards.
This approach enhances students’ acceptance of healthy choices, creating a collaborative environment where students are part of decision-making, fostering their connection to the school and increasing their awareness of the importance of proper nutrition in their daily lives.
He added that the school consistently organizes educational and guidance activities to inform students about the significance of healthy eating and its role in enhancing physical and mental activity, while also engaging parents in comprehensive awareness campaigns to ensure the continuation of these healthy habits at home. He emphasized that the ultimate goal is to provide a holistic educational environment that supports students’ physical and mental health, preparing them for academic excellence and future success.