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School lunch salt‑reduction plan faces criticism over blandness, kindergarten principal argues “healthy” does not mean tasteless Hong Kong, 9 November 2026 – 07:15 HKT The Department of Health’s “School Lunch Salt‑Reduction Plan,” introduced in the 2017/18 academic year, has been under scrutiny after students at several schools reported that their meals were too bland. In a recent response to a Legislative Council inquiry, the department acknowledged that some pupils felt the lunches did not meet their taste preferences and that “conformity to taste is sometimes considered more important than health.” Hong Mei‑ru, principal of the Hong Kong Small Children’s Welfare Association Lezhi Kindergarten in Tseung Kwan O, said that the goal of reducing salt and sugar should not be equated with producing tasteless food. “Low salt and low sugar do not mean ‘plain’,” she told reporters. “The key is to make good use of natural flavours.” Natural flavour strategy The Department of Health’s “Nutrition Guidelines for Children Aged Two to Six” promotes a “three‑low, one‑high” approach—low fat, low sugar, low salt, and high fibre. It recommends using garlic, ginger, onions, herbs, and fresh tomato, pumpkin, and corn sauces to enhance taste. Mei‑ru explained that buying fresh meat from the market instead of frozen alternatives can improve flavour. “Low salt and low sugar do not mean ‘plain’; it’s about shifting the seasoning responsibility to the ingredients themselves,” she said. The kindergarten’s lunch menu follows a 3:2:1 ratio of grains, vegetables, and protein. Cooking methods include steaming, braising, poaching, stewing, and quick stir‑frying with little oil. Menus are varied weekly and aligned with seasonal produce, while familiar flavours are retained as an anchor. “When a dish such as tomato‑corn sauce rice appears, children still feel a sense of safety in the unfamiliar,” Mei‑ru added. “Compliance is the baseline; acceptance is a design variable that can be balanced through a natural flavour strategy.” Example dish Mei‑ru described a spinach‑salmon low‑fat cheese long‑pasta dish. Salmon provides high‑quality protein and omega‑3 fatty acids; spinach supplies iron, folate, and fibre; low‑fat cheese offers calcium and aroma; long‑pasta supplies energy. The dish contains grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy, meeting the multi‑food, low‑salt, low‑sugar, low‑oil guidelines. “The cheese’s mild saltiness and aroma are familiar to children, so no extra salt is needed,” she said. She also noted that salmon should be boneless and cooked thoroughly, pasta should be soft and trimmed if necessary, and cheese should be used in moderation, with alternative preparations for sensitive children. In‑house kitchen As a full‑time kindergarten, Lezhi has its own kitchen. “Having an in‑house kitchen ensures the quality of the meals,” Mei‑ru said. Kitchen staff, Chef Mei and assistant Chef Juan, purchase fresh produce each morning, wash, cut, cook, portion, and deliver the meals to the classrooms. “Fresh ingredients are bought or delivered on the same day and cooked immediately, then kept warm before serving,” she explained. Because the lunch must be prepared for about 100 children within two hours, the menu is kept simple. The kindergarten invested more than HK$1 million in kitchen renovation two years ago and employs a chef and assistant chef. “The cost is higher than a kindergarten that relies on external catering, even with the Education Bureau’s cooking staff subsidy,” Mei‑ru said. “We still charge a meal fee to cover other expenses.” Parents have responded positively; some even prepare meals at home based on the kindergarten’s menu. Table manners and picky eating Children eat lunch on campus, where teachers use games and role‑play to teach table manners—such as chewing without speaking, finishing a meal before leaving the seat, and cleaning up utensils. Before eating, children say a thank‑you and discuss the story of how food is produced, helping them appreciate the effort involved. Teachers do not force children to try foods they dislike but repeatedly offer small portions. “For picky eaters, we start with very small amounts and do not pressure them; we simply keep offering the food,” Mei‑ru said. The lunch period lasts 20–30 minutes. When the time is up, teachers gently ask children to put away their utensils, helping them establish a sense of time limits. Four practical feeding strategies Mei‑ru shared four methods that parents can use to address feeding issues: 1. Prioritise regular portions over quantity – schedule three main meals and two snack times, with about 2–3 hours between meals, and avoid giving snacks outside these times. 2. Set a 30‑minute eating window – enforce it calmly, avoid over‑feeding or coaxing, and do not give extra snacks or sweets as rewards or trade‑offs. 3. Let parents decide – parents choose what, when, and where to serve food, offering three to four food options per meal. 4. Accept picky eating as a developmental stage – the key is to keep offering the food repeatedly; a refusal today does not mean a refusal forever, and the dining atmosphere should remain relaxed. The article was written by Liu Pei‑hua and includes photographs provided by the school. Article source: Sing Tao Electronic Daily | Image credit: Sing Tao Electronic Daily
School lunch salt‑reduction plan faces criticism over blandness, kindergarten principal argues “healthy” does not mean tasteless Hong Kong, 9 November 2026 – 07:15 HKT The Department of Health’s “School Lunch Salt‑Reduction Plan,” introduced in the 2017/18 academic year, has been under scrutiny after students at several schools reported that their meals were too bland. In a recent response to a Legislative Council inquiry, the department acknowledged that some pupils felt the lunches did not meet their taste preferences and that “conformity to taste is sometimes considered more important than health.” Hong Mei‑ru, principal of the Hong Kong Small Children’s Welfare Association Lezhi Kindergarten in Tseung Kwan O, said that the goal of reducing salt and sugar should not be equated with producing tasteless food. “Low salt and low sugar do not mean ‘plain’,” she told reporters. “The key is to make good use of natural flavours.” Natural flavour strategy The Department of Health’s “Nutrition Guidelines for Children Aged Two to Six” promotes a “three‑low, one‑high” approach—low fat, low sugar, low salt, and high fibre. It recommends using garlic, ginger, onions, herbs, and fresh tomato, pumpkin, and corn sauces to enhance taste. Mei‑ru explained that buying fresh meat from the market instead of frozen alternatives can improve flavour. “Low salt and low sugar do not mean ‘plain’; it’s about shifting the seasoning responsibility to the ingredients themselves,” she said. The kindergarten’s lunch menu follows a 3:2:1 ratio of grains, vegetables, and protein. Cooking methods include steaming, braising, poaching, stewing, and quick stir‑frying with little oil. Menus are varied weekly and aligned with seasonal produce, while familiar flavours are retained as an anchor. “When a dish such as tomato‑corn sauce rice appears, children still feel a sense of safety in the unfamiliar,” Mei‑ru added. “Compliance is the baseline; acceptance is a design variable that can be balanced through a natural flavour strategy.” Example dish Mei‑ru described a spinach‑salmon low‑fat cheese long‑pasta dish. Salmon provides high‑quality protein and omega‑3 fatty acids; spinach supplies iron, folate, and fibre; low‑fat cheese offers calcium and aroma; long‑pasta supplies energy. The dish contains grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy, meeting the multi‑food, low‑salt, low‑sugar, low‑oil guidelines. “The cheese’s mild saltiness and aroma are familiar to children, so no extra salt is needed,” she said. She also noted that salmon should be boneless and cooked thoroughly, pasta should be soft and trimmed if necessary, and cheese should be used in moderation, with alternative preparations for sensitive children. In‑house kitchen As a full‑time kindergarten, Lezhi has its own kitchen. “Having an in‑house kitchen ensures the quality of the meals,” Mei‑ru said. Kitchen staff, Chef Mei and assistant Chef Juan, purchase fresh produce each morning, wash, cut, cook, portion, and deliver the meals to the classrooms. “Fresh ingredients are bought or delivered on the same day and cooked immediately, then kept warm before serving,” she explained. Because the lunch must be prepared for about 100 children within two hours, the menu is kept simple. The kindergarten invested more than HK$1 million in kitchen renovation two years ago and employs a chef and assistant chef. “The cost is higher than a kindergarten that relies on external catering, even with the Education Bureau’s cooking staff subsidy,” Mei‑ru said. “We still charge a meal fee to cover other expenses.” Parents have responded positively; some even prepare meals at home based on the kindergarten’s menu. Table manners and picky eating Children eat lunch on campus, where teachers use games and role‑play to teach table manners—such as chewing without speaking, finishing a meal before leaving the seat, and cleaning up utensils. Before eating, children say a thank‑you and discuss the story of how food is produced, helping them appreciate the effort involved. Teachers do not force children to try foods they dislike but repeatedly offer small portions. “For picky eaters, we start with very small amounts and do not pressure them; we simply keep offering the food,” Mei‑ru said. The lunch period lasts 20–30 minutes. When the time is up, teachers gently ask children to put away their utensils, helping them establish a sense of time limits. Four practical feeding strategies Mei‑ru shared four methods that parents can use to address feeding issues: 1. Prioritise regular portions over quantity – schedule three main meals and two snack times, with about 2–3 hours between meals, and avoid giving snacks outside these times. 2. Set a 30‑minute eating window – enforce it calmly, avoid over‑feeding or coaxing, and do not give extra snacks or sweets as rewards or trade‑offs. 3. Let parents decide – parents choose what, when, and where to serve food, offering three to four food options per meal. 4. Accept picky eating as a developmental stage – the key is to keep offering the food repeatedly; a refusal today does not mean a refusal forever, and the dining atmosphere should remain relaxed. The article was written by Liu Pei‑hua and includes photographs provided by the school.
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