School Canteen Lab Empowers Students To Shape Healthier UAE School Meals

The Ministry of Health and Prevention has launched the "School Canteen Lab" initiative in Sharjah, creating an experiential model where students help design healthier school meals. The programme supports the National Nutrition Strategy 2030, aims to improve canteen menus, and seeks to build a school environment where students actively influence daily food choices and learn practical nutrition skills.

The initiative targets higher acceptance of nutritious options by asking students to taste, approve, and refine dishes before they reach canteen menus. By linking food offerings with student preferences, the project supports early prevention of non-communicable diseases and promotes better quality of life for future generations through improved dietary habits in schools across the UAE.

The School Canteen Lab operates as a co-design workshop that brings together students, parents, teachers, chefs, and institutional partners in one setting. Held in the Emirate of Sharjah, the lab focuses on turning students’ daily experiences into practical food solutions that can be implemented in school canteens, making them more aligned with students’ tastes and nutritional needs.

During the event, students first sampled a variety of foods and explored different flavours, then described and analysed their own preferences in group discussions. They later prepared a simple recipe, practised presentation and serving styles, and delivered group presentations. These steps ended with joint decision-making on which meal format should move forward as a new school canteen option.

The lab used interactive and evaluative methods, including taste-testing, recipe trials, and feedback rounds, to identify acceptable healthy dishes. This approach aims to reduce food waste by focusing on meals that students actually enjoy while still meeting nutritional guidelines. It also seeks to promote sustainable meal options that can be repeated and scaled across school systems.

The School Canteen Lab gathered 80 students alongside 20 teachers and parents, four chefs and nutrition specialists, and representatives from government and private sector organisations. This broad mix of participants was intended to reflect real school communities and support decisions that consider both health requirements and operational realities within school food services.

The initiative links the health and education sectors, with MoHAP working in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Sharjah Education Authority. KCAL provided nutritional guidance and healthy cooking expertise, while the Sharjah Women’s Union Association hosted the event and managed logistics, ensuring a structured environment for practical cooking and student engagement activities.

Lulu Hypermarket supplied the food products used throughout the lab sessions. This role showed how private sector partners can integrate into public health and education projects, supporting more efficient school food systems. The collaboration between institutions and suppliers is intended to help sustain the School Canteen Lab concept and to maintain consistent access to ingredients that meet the agreed nutritional standards.

School Canteen Lab initiative and leadership perspectives

Dr. Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Public Health Sector at the Ministry, stated that the School Canteen Lab was created as a shift away from traditional, top-down nutrition programmes. The model instead places students at the centre of menu design and tasting, turning policy objectives into visible, participatory experiences inside school environments.

Al Rand explained that the initiative fits into a broader institutional framework that connects health strategies with everyday school practice. It supports the goals of the National Nutrition Strategy 2030 by building food environments that encourage healthy routines from childhood. The Ministry is strengthening cooperation with partners to embed sound nutrition as a key element in preventing non-communicable diseases.

Al Rand underlined the long-term importance of this work, noting that decisions taken now about children’s and adolescents’ diets influence future social wellbeing. Al Rand stated that investing in student nutrition improves both public health outcomes and overall quality of life. This view is summarised in the core principle: "We must see children not as passive consumers but as conscious partners in shaping their nutritional choices."

School Canteen Lab initiative and student engagement

Nouf Khamis Al Ali, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Ministry, said the School Canteen Lab was designed as an interactive learning journey. Students were encouraged to prepare healthy meals themselves, share opinions, and engage directly with nutrition concepts. This combined classroom learning with hands-on practice, helping to turn theoretical guidance into clear, memorable experiences.

Al Ali highlighted that symbolic incentives and awards were offered to students who took part in the lab. These gestures aimed to build enthusiasm, support active participation, and inspire food innovation that reflects students’ interests. The format encouraged students to see healthy dishes as enjoyable, customisable options rather than imposed requirements.

Al Ali added that the School Canteen Lab initiative advances health promotion programmes by converting nutritional awareness into daily behaviour through co-design. The approach aims for a lasting impact by strengthening cooperation between schools and families around food choices. According to Al Ali, this joint effort is expected to benefit student health indicators and improve their overall quality of life.

For the UAE’s health and education sectors, the School Canteen Lab initiative demonstrates a structured model for aligning policy, partnerships, and student participation. By integrating expert input, institutional collaboration, and student voices, the programme supports more sustainable school food environments and reinforces national efforts to improve public health outcomes under the National Nutrition Strategy 2030.

With inputs from WAM