Yes, a vegan dish is served every day. A bar with fresh vegetables and fruit is available daily, along with a selection of vegan sauces.

Termination must be received by the 25th of the previous month, but termination can be completed on “my pages”. The first term of winter, from the start of school to the end of September, counts as one term, as does from 1 May until the end of school.

“For the most important people” is our motto at Skólamatur. We are committed to producing healthy and nutritious meals for the people who matter most. The nutritional value of each dish is calculated by Skólamatur’s nutritionist. Fruit and vegetables are always served with the food. When it comes to carbohydrate-rich food, we offer whole wheat pasta and brown rice, and a much emphasis is placed on coarse grains and wholesome and fresh ingredients.

Yes, Skólamatur’s quality manager is a nutritionist by training and reviews all menus. The quality manager balances the menus based on all the nutrients that children need. The nutritional value of menus is carefully calculated.

You can apply for a food subscription here on the website www.skolamatur.is, and it is important to provide correct information, such as class names and other things. You can apply for a subscription at any time, but a new subscription period starts at the start of school, and after that, the subscription starts on the 1st of each month. However, you can always negotiate a subscription period if this arrangement is not suitable. Then it is best to send an e-mail to skolamatur@skolamatur.is.

A subscription is sold to each and every student, and therefore, others may not use a meal subscription or supplement.

Subscriptions are sold in monthly periods regardless of how often the student attends classes. In some municipalities, you can buy meal tickets , where the student and/or parents decide when the student doesn't. Individual meals are also available to everyone.

Tariffs are set by local authorities, and food is only paid for on the days when school is in session according to the school calendar. Skólamatur works according to service contracts concluded with each and every municipality. The price difference is explained, among other things, by the content of the contract and the subsidy from the municipalities. There is no VAT on school meals for students.

All subscribers are eligible to receive a moderate supplement for lunch.

When hamburgers, chicken pieces or other food that is portioned in units is on the menu, there is no refill on the main course, but subscribers are always able to get a refill on vegetables, fruit, potatoes or other side dishes.

The price list for school meals is determined by the municipality, as are decisions on sibling discount. The sibling discount is provided in Hafnarfjörður and Reykjanesbær, but not in other municipalities served by Skólamatur. Hafnarfjarðarbær and Reykjanesbær make decisions about sibling discounts and who is entitled to such discounts.

Food that we buy in the store is often made up of several ingredients. These ingredients are composed of energy substances (fats, proteins and carbohydrates), and sometimes additives are added.

 

These additives are substances added to food to ensure shelf life, maintain colour, prevent rancidity, prevent food from separating and to sweeten food, for example.

 

All additives that are allowed in food have gone through very strict tests by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). If they are allowed, they receive an E-number. E stands for Europe, not a poison at all, as some seem to think.

 

Additives are divided into several categories:

 

Additives starting with 100 are pigments, e.g. E 160, which is derived from carrots and gives a reddish colour and E 161, which is derived from green leafy vegetables and gives a green colour. Some dyes that are chemically created and give very bright colours (so-called azo dyes) are considered undesirable in excessive amounts, and therefore, their use must be limited. These are dyes with the numbers E 102, E 110, E 129 and E 133.

 

Additives starting with 200 are preservatives, e.g. E 201 benzoate, E 211 sorbate and E 250 nitrate. They are used to reduce the chance that dangerous micro-organisms (pathogens) such as salmonella and listeria can multiply. They are i.a. used in cheese, meat spreads, mayonnaise, salads, soups and sauces. It is mainly done to ensure food safety and a longer shelf life than 2–4 days. Preservatives are usually allowed in limited quantities and in certain foods, i.e. they are not allowed in all food.

 

Additives starting with 300 are antiperspirants, e.g. E 300 ascorbic acid (vitamin C), E 306 tocopherol (vitamin E) and E 320 BHA. Antiperspirants are used i.a. to prevent a lingering taste in food and also to prevent food from turning brown and unpalatable in colour. The latter is considered undesirable in large quantities and is therefore only allowed in limited quantities and in very few foods.

 

Additives starting with 400 are binders, e.g. E 401 alginate, E 414 gum arabic and E 460 cellulose. They are either made from algae, soy or fermented carbohydrates. They are widely used in all kinds of foods, for example to thicken and to prevent the food from separating, becoming lumpy, clumping or not rising. They are said to be desirable like most additives.

 

Let’s choose one example from a meal at Skólamatur to look at; many would say that there are a lot of E-materials here.

 

Chicken schnitzel (chicken breast (85%), breadcrumbs (flour, water, yeast, salt, spices, sugar, rapeseed oil, colours (E100, E160), acids (E262, E331), antiperspirant (E316)).

If you look closely, this is chicken breast with breadcrumbs, and the breadcrumbs are bread that has been dried and grounded. Here, E100 and E160 are used to get a red/yellow colour on the grater. E100 is turmeric extracted from the turmeric root, and E160 is carotene extracted from carrots. E262 is derived from acetic acid, and E331 is derived from citric acid (e.g. found in fruit). These additives are often used in flour to improve its baking properties. E 316 is a specific form of vitamin C and is used to protect the rapeseed oil from rancidity.

 

In this example, the additives are just as harmless as the ingredients. People with gluten intolerance would not eat this product because of the wheat.

 

If we want to avoid additives as much as possible, we need to consider the following:

 

Shop for as clean foods as we can (clean meat, clean fish, untreated vegetables and fruits (either fresh or frozen), clean and dry cereals, beans and lentils). Make foods such as mayonnaise, sauces, soups, stews and the like yourself from scratch and use within a few days.

 

It would be difficult for a company like Skólamatur to exclude all additives from the foods they offer, both for their safety but also for the requirements of supply and variety. However, every effort is made to limit their use as much as possible.

 

It is hoped that the article has answered some of the questions that parents and guardians have about food additives.

 

With best regards,

 

Guðrún Adolfsdóttir, food scientist at Sýni ehf.