At school, children can be taught the full foundation of healthy eating. They can also learn to enjoy a variety of flavors—tasting, discovering, and exploring food. In this way, it becomes possible to prevent various diseases in the future. Unfortunately, in Lithuania’s public education sector these aspects are often overlooked, as saving money is considered more important. Of course, governments, including Lithuania’s, do what they can with the resources available, setting rules and designing menus based on what can be obtained within the given budget.

The problem is that meal plans are often prepared not by specialists but by professionals from other fields, such as administrative staff. Another issue is that too much power is given to institutions—like the Public Health Center—that classify food as “good” or “bad” based on their own rules, which are then applied equally to everyone. This should not be considered the norm, since both schools and children’s needs vary depending on age, health condition, and other factors. I have brought together a team of professionals who design meal plans for children based on nutritional guidelines while also taking into account their needs and health benefits.

At Erudito Lyceum, together with my team, we strive to give children the opportunity to eat healthier and more interesting food. However, this is not easy, as the rules already set by the state are very strict and practically impossible to change. It is difficult even to maneuver within them—although institutions could revise these regulations, the issue is rarely even considered, as the whole system is seen as functioning well and, most importantly, “fitting within the budget.” I am glad that in the private sector it is possible to consult and achieve results that truly matter: teaching children to eat everything, to choose healthy products, and ultimately—to grow up healthier.

It is also important for schools to take into account children’s age and stage of life. For instance, for teenagers, eating as healthily as possible and focusing on strength is not their main priority. Naturally, they want more food and they want it quickly—so their main goal becomes filling their stomach as fast and easily as possible, for example, by grabbing a kebab.

This issue is not unique to Lithuania—it exists everywhere. As a society, we should pay closer attention to children’s nutrition and involve the community and educational institutions to ensure that children receive every opportunity available to them and their parents to grow up healthy. In Lithuania, birth rates have been declining for a long time, which is why every effort should be made to help today’s children grow smarter and healthier so they can fulfill their full potential. As adults, we must learn to invest not only in nice clothes or toys but also in the highest quality food.

We Won’t Solve the Problem Through Prohibitions

I have no doubt that all parents do their best for their children, but we all know that preparing healthy breakfasts and dinners for kids every day can be a challenge. That is why the food served in schools should be of higher quality. It is truly difficult for parents to balance a dynamic daily routine with their own and their children’s activities while also cooking fresh meals at home every day. However, if at least a few times a week healthy meals were prepared at home, less nutritious school lunches would not prevent a child from growing up healthy.

Another advantage of cooking at home is the opportunity to teach children how to cook themselves—showing them healthy products and letting them taste new flavors. Children, just like us adults, are influenced by advertising, so when asked what they want to eat, they will usually name something they’ve seen on a screen—pizza, burgers, macaroni with cheese. This can be managed, for example, by agreeing that such meals are reserved for special occasions. I know it’s not easy—parents are constantly busy and tired, and children are too—so communication isn’t always simple. That’s why greater cooperation within the community, including both home and school, is needed.

At the Lyceum, together with my team, we experiment with different ways of educating children about food in ways that are engaging for them—for example, making their own kebab. While it is often considered fast food, with the right ingredients, vegetables, and healthier sauces, it can become a wholesome and nutritious meal. On the one hand, this satisfies children’s desire to eat popular, fast food, while on the other hand, it meets parents’ goal of ensuring the meal is balanced. By preparing it together with friends, children not only learn to make food they enjoy but also socialize and have fun in the process.

Some schools try to promote healthy eating by removing unhealthy snacks and vending machines. I have to disappoint you—this system doesn’t work. Today’s children simply run to the nearest shop during breaks and eat whatever they want. Neither snacks nor sweets are inherently a total evil if consumed in moderation. But prohibitions in schools only provoke resistance in children and increase their desire to run outside and eat whatever they can get their hands on.

In Lithuania, we are used to stigmatizing and enforcing prohibitions in many areas. For example, today we eat only potatoes, and then for two weeks we don’t cook them at all. When it comes to children’s needs, such restrictions only trigger a desire to rebel. It would be far better to introduce balanced rules and variety. If a child is deprived of everything tasty and is served only boiled dishes—without carbohydrates, flour, or fats—with the expectation that they will eat such bland food, it won’t last long. In this case, resistance is a completely normal reaction.

Both at school and at home, it is valuable to talk with children about food—what they like and to take their suggestions into account.

Sometimes You Need to Be Strict

It is very important to note that proper nutrition alone is not enough for a healthy child. Parents should talk with their children, encourage them to try different sports activities, and emphasize that this matters not because of their parents’ wishes but for the child’s own sense of happiness. I have always believed it is essential to spend time with children and build a bond of trust—one that makes them believe in their parents’ words and motivates them to embrace new experiences, such as trying a new extracurricular activity.

There are children who grow up underweight because they eat very little or refuse to eat what their parents or school cafeterias offer. Over time, this can become a serious challenge and harm their health, which is why measures must be taken. In many cases, parents of such children may grab at the last straw and allow them to eat whatever they want—just to make sure they’ve eaten something. Sometimes there is no other way, and it can be very difficult not to give in. However, I always remind parents that when problems arise, they can consult other parents or specialists, ask for advice, and share it with others. And above all—listen to the child.

Of course, modern parenting approaches insist that one should not be strict with children, but in some cases, it remains the only option. Parenting is called parenting for a reason—it is about setting boundaries. I can only encourage parents to be strong. The relationship with the child is extremely important in this process. It must be built and nurtured from an early age, and it is better to argue yet keep talking with the child than to avoid conflict but have no relationship at all.

Another rather sensitive issue when talking about children’s nutrition is sweets. The Lithuanian Dental Association has launched a movement aimed at teaching children to enjoy sweets only on Saturdays. In our family, we follow a similar rule—only on Sundays. After returning from Mass, we have lunch, and then sweets are allowed. For the children, this has become a kind of game—each one has a box, like a piggy bank, where throughout the week they collect the sweets they want or receive as gifts, and when Sunday comes, they get to enjoy them.

Teaching Healthy Eating – A Never-Ending Process

It is often said that children don’t like to eat certain foods, such as broccoli, fish, or mushrooms. From my own experience, I can say that if food is prepared properly, they will eat almost anything. For example, children really enjoy cauliflower and broccoli with olive oil and salt. The key is not to overcook them, because when they lose their bright green color and turn “camouflage-like,” they no longer look appetizing. In my years of working in the school catering sector, I’ve noticed that children especially like stuffed vegetables—peppers, zucchini, caramelized eggplants, as well as pastries filled with vegetables. I believe that for children, the shape and color of food are very important—if they like how it looks, they will certainly want to taste it.

Teaching children to choose healthier meal alternatives themselves is a difficult and never-ending task. As children grow, their desires and needs change. We also can’t forget that once they grow physically, they are able to reach the secret snack cupboards, take what they want, and even try to outsmart their parents. In our home, we set rules, talk them through, agree together, and… lead by example. For instance, instead of bread products with spreads, we slice up fruit, cheese, and honey, and share everything as a family. Snacking then becomes a form of social connection at home. I myself am very lazy and would love to choose different, of course unhealthy, snacks—but what would my children see and learn from that?

Instilling the foundations of healthy eating and physical activity in children is our shared journey—both at home and in educational institutions. The goal has not yet been fully achieved, and I don’t believe it can be done quickly. However, if each of us takes at least a small step in that direction every day, the generations to come will grow up healthier.