Healthy School Meals

Published:Thursday | August 16, 2012 | 12:00 AM

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Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor
School nutrition should promote healthy eating among children in order to
develop nutritious patterns. This also aids in intellectual development while
preventing immediate health problems such as anaemia and obesity. Good
school nutrition will also prevent long-term lifestyle diseases such as heart
disease, cancers, diabetes and stroke.
School administrators have the challenge of raising the standard of the meals served to
encourage lifelong healthy eating habits and to empower communities to play a part in
assisting with a school nutrition programme.
Community-based school nutrition
The concern for Jamaica's children and their poor eating habits is to find new
approaches for meals and nutrition education. It calls for the replication of a strategy
that uses the community-empowerment approach in a model developed and
implemented by Grace Kitchens since 1984. The programme made linkages between
several stakeholders enlisting their support for the initiative and as part of the thrust to
improve early-childhood education.
Participants also learned the value of nutritious meals on the educational process and
the individual achievement of children. It is well established that school meals are
important to the food-safety net of any country to end hunger and stunting in young
children from conception throughout their school-age years, so that they can realize
their full potential for a better life. This should be driven by an obligation to provide good
nutrition for our children throughout their life cycle.
Eat what you grow
A significant portion of the programme emphasizes the 'Eat what you grow, grow what
you eat' message, as a means of stimulating the local economy through agriculture. As
such, there is value in integrating local produce in healthy meal preparation for children,
and understanding the added value of food in maximizing nutrition at the community
level.
It is in programmes like these that awareness is built to foster greater understanding of
the value of food and nutrition in targeting hunger and contributing to national
development. In the absence of a national nutrition policy, efforts have to be made to
ensure their is a food-and-nutrition safety net to advance capacity development of
children in the educational system.
Childhood obesity
We all admire the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, who is urging
Congress to pass the Child Nutrition Bill for higher nutritional standards in meals served
in schools. Like the United States, Jamaica is faced with increasing cases of obesity.
Michelle Obama has been actively tackling the issue of childhood obesity by raising
awareness of the problem and encouraging greater consumption of fruits, vegetables
and whole grains, and less fat, sugar and salt. This is another good time to emulate the
US and raise the standard of our nutritional programmes for children through policy and
practices.
New school year
Schools should start planning training for canteen staff to get a nutritious and interesting
programme ready for September. Affordable, scalable and reliable programmes that
have been designed to promote better school meals should be replicated in the coming
school year. Apart from the nutritional value, the programme can inspire communities to
draw on their skills and resources to transform the lives of children in schools,
communities and country.
Communities in parts of central Clarendon, for example, have had success in preparing
healthier school meals. The training programme has added new dimensions to the lives
of the participants, teaching them 'to fish', finding entrepreneurial opportunities while
improving the quality of meals for students. The children now enjoy mini pizzas, callaloo
cups, sausage bean feasts, fish burgers, Vienna curried rice, one pots and carrot egg-
ernizer.
Carrot Egg-ernizer
11/2 cups freshly squeezed carrot juice
1 egg, beaten
Sugar to taste
1 4
/  cup cows or soy milk
1 2
/  tsp grated nutmeg
Dash of Angostura Bitters
(optional)
Method:
Combine carrot juice, egg, sugar, milk-nutmeg and bitters. Mix well in a blender. Serve
over cracked ice.
Variation: A scoop of vanilla ice cream may be added as an extra treat.
Recipe courtesy of Jamaica Egg Farmers Association.
 Missing Meals - Schools Bemoan
Scarcity Of Healthy Food Supplies From
Ministry
Published:Tuesday | September 25, 2018 | 12:00 AMJodi-Ann Gilpin/Gleaner Writer

Ian Allen

Nutri bullas and bag juices are no longer being distributed by NPL in public schools.

Concerns are being raised in the education sector about few or no alternatives to bulla cakes and other high-sugar

products following their withdrawal from public schools.

Education Minister Ruel Reid, while addressing the 54th Jamaica Teachers' Association's Annual Conference earlier

this year, had announced that several food items, including the popular bulla cakes, would be removed from local

schools as part of a campaign to promote healthier eating among students.

Since 1973, Nutrition Products Limited (NPL) has been providing public schools under the education ministry's

portfolio with meal items, including bulla cakes and bag juices. Under the new initiative, the education ministry

mandated them to provide healthier meals to students.

However, Fabian Mahabeer, principal of Mona Heights Primary School in St Andrew, made it clear that while he is

not opposed to the withdrawal, it is equally critical that policymakers make a concerted effort to ensure that transitions

are as smooth as possible and that an adequate number of products are available to serve every student.
 
WATER AND PORRIDGE MIX

"What I have seen so far is water and porridge mix. I think today when I checked, we got sandwich wraps. But we

have over 200 students on the PATH (Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education) programme and

we saw only 80 wraps, so you will find that each class could only get two. The same thing for the water, it comes in

minimal supply because we got 100 bottles. When we checked the porridges, we got 60," Mahabeer said.

"Mind you, change and transition are good, but I would expect that the alternative would be as robust as the change.

So if you are going to make it rapid and effective now, then it means that your alternative should be effective now,

too. You shouldn't be scrambling to find alternatives," he continued.

Similar sentiments were shared by the principal of a downtown Kingston-based primary school who asked to remain

anonymous. The principal told The Gleaner that nothing has been provided to the school since the start of the new

academic year.

"What is the alternative? I would like to know," the principal said.

"I strongly believe that (bullas) shouldn't have been pulled so suddenly. Instead, they could have used the same

products, but use less sugar. There were other products that they (ministry) used to send as well, such as the

cornbread, cheese bread, sandwiches and porridge. We have got nothing of that sort since September and we have

got no alternative."

The principal continued, "I don't know if eventually we will get something. The parents are also depending on it, but

what can we do? What we are doing now is making sure that the PATH students are taken care of, in addition to

some other students we have on a special welfare programme."

Reid, in response, said that the Government is leaving no stone unturned in making sure that the transition is smooth.

He said where there are glitches, schools should make sure they contact their education officers.

"We are moving to feed only students on PATH with cooked meals and we have provided increased resources,

paying canteen staff, upgraded canteens. This Government is moving to provide better solutions for schools without

canteens, like wraps and sandwiches. Further, schools are to submit the list of PATH students before NPL supplies

assigned schools, as PATH numbers need to be verified," Reid told The Gleaner yesterday.

jodi-ann.gilpin@gleanerjm.com
 Missing Meals - Schools Bemoan
Scarcity Of Healthy Food Supplies From
Ministry
Published:Tuesday | September 25, 2018 | 12:00 AMJodi-Ann Gilpin/Gleaner Writer

Ian Allen

Nutri bullas and bag juices are no longer being distributed by NPL in public schools.

Concerns are being raised in the education sector about few or no alternatives to bulla cakes and other high-sugar

products following their withdrawal from public schools.

Education Minister Ruel Reid, while addressing the 54th Jamaica Teachers' Association's Annual Conference earlier

this year, had announced that several food items, including the popular bulla cakes, would be removed from local

schools as part of a campaign to promote healthier eating among students.

Since 1973, Nutrition Products Limited (NPL) has been providing public schools under the education ministry's

portfolio with meal items, including bulla cakes and bag juices. Under the new initiative, the education ministry

mandated them to provide healthier meals to students.

However, Fabian Mahabeer, principal of Mona Heights Primary School in St Andrew, made it clear that while he is

not opposed to the withdrawal, it is equally critical that policymakers make a concerted effort to ensure that transitions

are as smooth as possible and that an adequate number of products are available to serve every student.
 
WATER AND PORRIDGE MIX

"What I have seen so far is water and porridge mix. I think today when I checked, we got sandwich wraps. But we

have over 200 students on the PATH (Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education) programme and

we saw only 80 wraps, so you will find that each class could only get two. The same thing for the water, it comes in

minimal supply because we got 100 bottles. When we checked the porridges, we got 60," Mahabeer said.

"Mind you, change and transition are good, but I would expect that the alternative would be as robust as the change.

So if you are going to make it rapid and effective now, then it means that your alternative should be effective now,

too. You shouldn't be scrambling to find alternatives," he continued.

Similar sentiments were shared by the principal of a downtown Kingston-based primary school who asked to remain

anonymous. The principal told The Gleaner that nothing has been provided to the school since the start of the new

academic year.

"What is the alternative? I would like to know," the principal said.

"I strongly believe that (bullas) shouldn't have been pulled so suddenly. Instead, they could have used the same

products, but use less sugar. There were other products that they (ministry) used to send as well, such as the

cornbread, cheese bread, sandwiches and porridge. We have got nothing of that sort since September and we have

got no alternative."

The principal continued, "I don't know if eventually we will get something. The parents are also depending on it, but

what can we do? What we are doing now is making sure that the PATH students are taken care of, in addition to

some other students we have on a special welfare programme."

Reid, in response, said that the Government is leaving no stone unturned in making sure that the transition is smooth.

He said where there are glitches, schools should make sure they contact their education officers.

"We are moving to feed only students on PATH with cooked meals and we have provided increased resources,

paying canteen staff, upgraded canteens. This Government is moving to provide better solutions for schools without

canteens, like wraps and sandwiches. Further, schools are to submit the list of PATH students before NPL supplies

assigned schools, as PATH numbers need to be verified," Reid told The Gleaner yesterday.

jodi-ann.gilpin@gleanerjm.com

Improve Nutrition Among Children

Published:Friday | December 21, 2012 | 12:00 AM
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Shannon Poyser shows off her display of nutritious plantains and other sources of carbohydrates during the Nutrition

Expo at Corinaldi Avenue Primary School.

IT IS well established that young children in poor living communities are at risk for
undernutrition and malnutrition due to lack of resources, neglect, abuse, and
inappropriate care by parents and caregivers, who are often under physical and
emotional stress. In Jamaica, approximately one in every four children under the age of
four lives in poverty. That is approximately 70,000 children. (www.jsjCanada.org)
Poor nutrition and underdevelopment of children in developing countries, including
Jamaica, led to heads of governments in November 1989 adopting the Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC). The basic human rights for children under age 18 are
delineated therein to include the right to survival, to develop to the fullest, and to
protection from harmful influences, abuse, and exploitation.
Malnutrition prevalence
The World Health Organization, in its Global Database on Child Growth and
Malnutrition, indicated that at 2007, malnutrition prevalence - height for age -
percentage of children under five in Jamaica was 5.70. Over a 29-year period, its
highest prevalence value was 16.60 in 1978; its lowest value was 4.50 in 2004.
The risks for malnutrition are high, especially in poor families and among children who
are being weaned, with stunting at 2.2 per cent compared to 3.4 per cent in 1990, and
wasting at 4.3 per cent, compared to 3.6 per cent in 1990. Data in 1995 indicated an
improvement in underweight, stunting, and wasting (Survey of Living Conditions
1996).
Fast-Food Consumption
Between 1990 and 1995, the prevalence in overweight remained constant, but showed
an increase in 2000. There is a synergistic relationship between the nine per cent
increase in the number of meals eaten outside the home between 1992 and 1999 and
weight gain. The diet in fast foods increases total fat intake, leading to overweight and
obesity in children, teens, and adults. In the absence of national surveys on food
consumption in Jamaica, the Survey of Living Conditions indicates that the
consumption of meals outside the home had increased, with more children eating fatty
foods.
The provision of rights for adequate health and nutrition resources as outlined in Articles
one to 14 in the CRC has raised standards in the development of children, moving from
deadly communicable diseases like tuberculosis and typhoid to lifestyle diseases like
diabetes, hyper-tension, and obesity. Interestingly, children born in Jamaica after 2009
have a more than 97 per cent chance of surviving beyond five years and an almost 100
per cent chance of enrolling in school.
Breastfeeding Decline
Some gains in the right to health care have been eroded, however. These include a
decline in exclusive breastfeeding, with only 15 per cent of children being breastfed at
six months. The 2005 Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey stated that less than half of
lactating mothers exclusively breastfed at six weeks.
Immunization rates have been lagging behind the national goal of 95 per cent average
coverage, according to the End-of-Decade Assessment of the World Summit for
Children 2002 Goals. In 2007, average coverage was at 83.8 per cent, according to
the Ministry of Health's annual report, with the decline attributed to limited staff
resources, including community health aides.
HIV/AIDS
The nutritional status of children has been compromised with the spread of HIV/AIDS. In
UNICEF's State of the World's Children 2002 report, it was stressed that every effort
should be made to keep all children healthy and in caring environments, especially
since children were so vulnerable to the AIDS virus.
Millennium Development Goals
Another critical assessment protocol for assessing nutritional status are the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), which were established to monitor eight goals aimed at
improving the quality of life for all, including children. An assessment of Jamaica's status
at a glance indicates that Jamaica, in the eradication of poverty and undernutrition, is on
track at halving, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of persons whose income is
less than one dollar a day (National Report of Jamaica on the MDGs 2009).
In assessing the progress of the MDGs in the eradication of poverty and hunger, there
was a decline in the prevalence of underweight children to 2.2 per cent in 2007, from
8.4 per cent in 1990. The proportion of the population below minimum level of dietary-
energy consumption - the food poor - decreased from 8.3 per cent in 1990 to 2.9 per
cent in 2007 (Planning Institute of Jamaica).
Access to Food
Access to food continues to be critical, with 19 per cent of the population living below
the poverty line and in rural communities with limited infrastructure and poor water
supply, which contributes to poor nutritional status (www.fao.org). Child growth in rural
Jamaica has been influenced by factors like diarrhoea and respiratory infections, which
may influence body weight. Findings from a semi-longitudinal study (Miall, et al: 1969)
of factors influencing child growth in a rural community in Jamaica revealed that while
respiratory infections and diarrhoea both peaked between the ages of six and 24
months when children are at highest risk of malnutrition, there was no influence on body
weight in the long term. The findings suggested that many of the diarrhoea cases seen
in this rural community of children may have been secondary to undernutrition, rather
than the cause of it.
School-feeding programme
The incidence of protein-energy malnutrition in severely malnourished children has
declined significantly through supplementation and school-feeding interventions. Better
nutrition is an essential component of providing basic needs for poorer individuals,
especially the young. In Jamaica, vast numbers of school-age children face major
nutrition and health problems that adversely limit their ability to take advantage of
educational opportunities available to them.
Many children have a history of malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies exacerbated by
parasitic infection, which is highly prevalent among school-age children. It has been
demonstrated that when children are given a meal at school, they are better able to
reap the benefits of classroom instruction. Providing breakfast to mildly undernourished
students at school improves verbal fluency and speed and memory in cognitive tests
(Grantham-McGregor S., Chang S., Walker S. Evaluation of School-Feeding
Programs: Some Jamaican Examples. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
1998; 67(4))
Urbanisation
Food-consumption patterns have changed to match population demographics,
particularly those of age, sex, and rural and urban living. There has been a dramatic
shift in urbanisation, with a shift from 37.6 per cent in 1965, to 56.1 per cent in 2000,
with a projected rise to 70.3 per cent in 2030 (UN, 2002). This has increased the
dietary-energy supply requirement with slight increases in protein intake. Domestic food
supply increased between 1990 and 1995, with more people moving to the cities
instead of staying in rural townships. The 1999 SLC indicates that the inequity in food-
consumption patterns is not changing, with the wealthiest one-fifth of the population
responsible for 45.9 per cent of total consumption and the poorest one-fifth responsible
for only six per cent of total consumption (fao.org./ag/agri/nutrition).
The Food and Agriculture Organization Nutrition Country Profile 2003 shows that
food availability continues to be good, especially for fruits, vegetables and starch roots,
meat and offal, except for 1989-91, as a result of the effects of Hurricane Gilbert in
1988. The same is true for nuts, pulses, and seeds, with sweeteners taking up a
significant portion in the group providing energy. Major food imports indicated that
cereals made up the country's major food imports. Food imports accounted for 94.7 per
cent of dietary-energy supply.

The Way Forward with Vision 2030 goals set for Jamaica, how can the quality of health
care be improved for our people, and in particular, for our children? Here are some
recommendations: Continue home-based early-childhood and day-care programmes for
poor children from birth to three years. This offers the hope of breaking the cycle of
poverty especially when mothers are unemployed (Dr Kerida McDonald).

Expand the Malnourished Children's Programme, established in 1994 by The Tropical

Metabolism Research Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies, to address
early-childhood deficiencies in children hospitalised for malnutrition. The intervention
strategy provides follow-up home visits to monitor the child to prevent readmission to
hospital. Outreach programmes are conducted in poor communities in Kingston, where
there are pockets of malnutrition. Psychosocial stimulation is given to children three
years old and younger and is enhanced by a toy-lending mobile library. (Elements of
Quality in Early Childhood Home Visiting Programmes in Jamaica, Dr. Kerida
McDonald, 2000).
Implement and monitor strategies to meet the MDGs' number-one goal of reducing
poverty and eradicating hunger.
Provide access to basic education as there are now more school-age children in
developing countries than ever before, due to population growth and the success of
child-survival programmes.
Improve school-feeding programmes to provide one hot meal for every school-age child
to reduce the risk of poor health and nutrition. This should be supported by regular
nutrition education, along with policies for safe water and sanitation
(www.freshschools.org).
Provide nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation, to improve the mental
development of stunted children.
Expand school health programmes to include immunisation, personal hygiene, and
environmental improvement.
Heather Little-White PhD is a food & nutrition consultant in Kingston.

Draft Nutrition Policy For Schools To Go

Before Cabinet
Published:Monday | April 29, 2019 | 12:15 AM

President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), Dr Garth Anderson (left), and Assistant Secretary General,

JTA, Dr Margaret Chin, show off the Jamaica Moves shirts presented to them by Health Minister Dr Christopher

Tufton at the JTA’s 18th Annual Education Conference on April 25 at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa, St James.

Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton says the draft National Nutrition Policy for schools has been completed and

will be brought to Cabinet shortly for deliberations. The policy, which is being developed in collaboration with the

education, youth and information ministry, aims to promote healthy eating and physical activity among students.

“Once finalised, it will become, essentially, the guide for schools to work with those who provide meals to be able to

provide a range of options for students so they are not locked into a daily diet of excessive salts, sugars, fats and

other things that may become a problem,” he noted. Tufton was addressing the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s 18th

Annual Education Conference on April 25 at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in St James.

Meanwhile, he noted the “overwhelming support”at the school level for the recently launched campaign against

sugary drinks.“I want to thank the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the teachers who manage the

schools for responding so overwhelmingly to the evidence that suggests that too many of our children are drinking

themselves sick because of the over-concentration of sugary drinks,” Tufton said. He said the “strong partnership”
between the ministries will continue in order to promote wellness, improve the nutritional status of children and

support their long-term physical and psychosocial development. “So the idea of wellness is going to mean

regularising physical education right through the cohorts and ensuring that our children go outside and play. I know

the Ministry of Education is working on putting that in place so that [children] see physical activity as a part of life that

must become a habit, not something that they are forced to do but will mean better for them later on,” he pointed out.

Tufton encouraged teachers to equip students with the requisite knowledge to make better decisions regarding diet

and physical activity.

Healthy Meals In School For Children

Published:Thursday | February 10, 2011 | 12:00 AM

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The group of participants from the Hannah Town community.

Twenty residents from Hannah Town were trained in the preparation of meals for children in basic schools in

the area, as part of the programme 'Healthy Meals for Young Children'.

Participants representing both genders included cooks and teachers from selected basic schools in the community.

The programme supports the national early childhood education thrust to improve the quality of meals provided to

children at the early childhood level. Healthy Meals for Young Children is the brainchild of food and nutrition

consultant and community development specialist, Dr Heather Little-White, and works through the members of

parliament constituency fund (CDF) and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

Downtown redevelopment programme

The skills-training programme in Hannah Town is part of the downtown redevelopment programme and also covered

Denham Town as well as Central Kingston. A joint graduation for the groups is to take place in March.

Programme content covered food-related areas such as table setting, etiquette and social graces, food sanitation,

budgeting and practical lessons in preparing breakfast ideas, protein foods, starchy accompaniments, snacks,

preparation of vegetables and beverages. The recipes used were nutritionally sound, economical and easy to

prepare.

Social worker, Michelle Bennett, said of the programme, "The participants have been empowered and I know that

training will make a difference in the lives of the children, and we hope that it will continue for other schools in the

area".

The programme moves to East Central St James, targeting the communities of Windsor Lodge, Industry, Somerton

and Dumfries.
Millions To Improve Student Nutrition
Published:Saturday | April 23, 2016 | 12:00 AM

The Government will be spending $60 million on the implementation of a project aimed at bolstering the national

school feeding programme.

The programme, 'Strengthening the School Feeding Programme in Jamaica', is being funded by the Government of

Jamaica and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. It will be piloted in four schools.

Details of the funds are contained in the 2016-2017 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of

Representatives.

The three-year project, which gets under way this month, aims to improve the governance of the food and nutrition

service, facilitate greater collaboration among Government, private sector, and non-governmental organisations

involved in school feeding, and to mobilise communities to provide the services that the programme will require.
ANTICIPATED TARGETS

Anticipated targets for 2016-2017 are the building of multi-institutional and inter-sectoral coordination, provision of

support for social participation in school feeding at the community level, undertaking needs assessment of four school

clusters, and community farm families.

Focus will also be placed on improving food and nutrition education learning by developing school gardens in the four

pilot schools; and development of curriculum and monitoring guidelines for the gardens based on the Jamaica 4-H

Clubs' School Garden Programme.

Under the programme, school infrastructure and equipment, as well as kitchen and dining areas, will be upgraded.

Direct purchases will be made from family farms to provide ready-to-cook produce for the schools.
Going Healthy At School
Published:Thursday | October 4, 2012 | 12:00 AM

Incorporating more vegetables in children's meals is important for their growth and development. - Contributed

Heather Little-White, Contributor

Working parents have the double burden of working inside the home while holding down
a job outside to extend the family income.

A critical part of the burden is that of making healthy meals for children. We know that
meals for children are critical to their growth and development, and it must start from the
home. Some parents cop out of the responsibility by giving the children money to buy
'fast foods' or junk from unsupervised school canteen and tuck shops.

We have been waiting a long time for the National Food and Nutrition Policy to be
implemented, so until that comes into effect, working parents have to find ways to cope
to provide wholesome meals for their children for optimal academic outcome in schools.
Working parents who have mastered this activity shared some tips with Food.
1 Make a plan for the week/month. Depending on how you purchase food items for
the home, you should work with a menu from which you must make a list to guide your
purchases. Beware of impulse buying as you cruise through the supermarket aisles.
You should also consider special needs of your children like allergies, lifestyle diseases
and food preferences.
2 Cook and freeze. On the weekend, triple up recipes of meals that will freeze well.
Carefully store the unused portion after having the first meal for those days when it will
 be difficult to cook. Glass storage ware with lids can go straight from the freezer to the
microwave or oven. Spaghetti sauce, lasagna, curries, meatballs and other Jamaican
dishes are ideal for freezing. Health options like home-made muffins and soups also
freeze well. It's important to store items with a date so you use first in, first out (FIFO).
3 Try slow cooking. Slow cookers are available but you can slow cook a meal as you
watch television at night and refrigerate immediately after it has cooled.
4 Invest in a cooking course. Unless you have creative ideas, you will find that after a
while meal preparation becomes a drag. Food allows for many options and when you
know what to do, you can mix and match. Get your children involved in cooking so they
can prepare what they like and ease your pressure. When they get home from school,
they can make their own meals once the items are home. One enterprising teenager
who graduated from a summer cooking course now makes after-school pizzas for her
friends.
5 Get involved in the school's PTA for improving canteen meals. Several schools
have successfully transformed the schools' offerings working with qualified staff to
provide:
 age-appropriate calories;
 larger servings and wider variety of fruits and vegetables, including dark green
and red/orange vegetables and legumes
 more whole grains, especially in breakfast items like porridges and Johnny cakes
 use of less sodium, especially pre-packaged seasonings, in preparation of meals
When parents who have time volunteer and help in the school's canteen, they will make
a valuable contribution to improving school meals for their children. Besides, it reduces
the preparation you would make at home.
Donating produce
Parents who have excess ground provisions, fruits and vegetables can donate to the
school or sell at cost, to increase the nutrition of what is offered. Members of the
Jamaica Egg Farmers Association have successfully piloted the inclusion of more eggs
in school meals. The programme combined eggs as an excellent protein source with
vegetables and starches to make interesting recipes with beverage special Carrot-
Eggernizer, as a shift from carbonated beverages.
Similarly, all the associations related to produce can provide items for a successful
school nutrition programme.

Sugary Drink Ban - New Policy To Be

Implemented In Schools January 2019
Published:Wednesday | June 6, 2018 | 12:00 AMBrian Walker/Staff Reporter
Jermaine Barnaby

Tufton

Students across Jamaica will be forced to drink healthier beverages at school starting January 2019 as a result of a

ban announced by Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton during his Sectoral Debate presentation in Parliament

yesterday.

Effective January 2019, the Government will implement a policy to restrict certain types of sugary drinks in schools.

By sugary drinks, we mean beverages that contain sugar or syrup that is added by the manufacturer. It does not

include, Mr Speaker, 100 per cent juice or unsweetened milk," Tufton told the House of Representatives.

The health minister noted that there was evidence that excessive consumption of drinks with added sugar helped to

generate non-communicable diseases. He argued that Jamaicans should be worried about the health of teenagers

based on recent statistics.

"Approximately 70 per cent of Jamaican children consume one or more sugar-sweetened beverages per day," said

Tufton. "The prevalence of obesity in adolescents 13 to 15 years increased by 68 per cent and doubled in boys over

the past seven years," he added.

He advised that the education and health ministries would engage manufacturers and distributors in upcoming

months to outline the policy guidelines ahead of implementation.

The proposed ban on sugary drinks also applies to public healthcare institutions, as Dr Tufton said that the

Government needed to lead by example. The drink ban is nested in the Government's strategy to overhaul nutrition

in schools, and the health minister outlined that a nutrition policy was being formalised and would govern what

students consumed.

The health minister explained, "The school standards will focus not just on sugar, but on reducing the intake of

saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium and sugar and increasing vegetable and fruit consumption."

He said that the policy was designed to complement the Jamaica Moves in Schools programme, which is set to be

rolled out soon.

brian.walker@gleanerjm.com
Gastronomy - Food, History, And Good
Company
Published:Thursday | December 7, 2017 | 12:00 AMJanet Silvera

PreviousNext

Janet Silvera

Smoked Marlin stuffed jerked cream cheese, black sesame on a bed of tropical lettuce with marinated beetroot.

WESTERN BUREAU:

Jamaica has had a long history of first-class gastronomy. Last Thursday, the country's tourism minister, Edmund

Bartlett pushed the envelope by hosting a 10-course Gastronomy Experience at the 200-year-old Chukka Good

Hope Estate in the hills of Trelawny.

The guest list included members of the international media, Caribbean tourism practitioners, and foodies. All

attended the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth and

were up to enjoying the icing on the cake.

Bartlett aimed to showcase the diversity and unique fusion created by the many cultures that have influenced

Jamaican cuisine, namely African, European, Asian and Middle Eastern.

"Just as our motto reflects our people, 'Out of Many, One People', so does our food and beverage, which has

merged over the years to create our unique culinary landscape derived from these nations that settled here," he told

the gathering.

Emphasising experiential tourism, the minister has created a Jamaican Gastronomy Network, headed by Nicola

Madden-Greig, immediate past president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.

The gastronomy network chairman, who played the role of master of ceremonies, was accompanied by Caribbean

Producers Jamaica's Rhys Campbell, the expert on wine pairing.

Opening with smoked marlin stuffed with jerk cream cheese and black sesame, on a bed of tropical lettuce with

marinated beetroot spaghetti, drizzled with a banana vinaigrette, it took the likes of 3 Michelin Star, four Diamond

award-winning executive chef Frank Peeters, Goddard Catering's Daniel Schweizer and sous chef Nicholas Castillo,

along with a masterful culinary team to create the magic experienced by the taste buds.

The team opened the evening with a delicious, flavourful pot-au-feu of salmon and crayfish, with jackfruit and star fruit

salsa.

A Fetzer Echo Ridge Sauvignon Blanc was paired with the starters, lending a complex melon, orange and apricot

aroma and rich flavours of mango, jasmine, and grapefruit. This American white wine complemented the spicy and

fruity elements of the marlin dish, CPJ's Campbell explained.

By the time the discerning receptor cells got to the third course, a palate cleanser of June plum, Scotch bonnet and

ginger sorbet drizzled with Vodka pineapples was introduced.

This was followed by comfort food, and a favourite dish among Jamaicans - braised boneless oxtail with broad bean

purÈe. Served in a mini dutchie, this meal was paired with a Trapiche Pinot Noir, known for its smooth tannins and

smoky character.

A poached snapper in a curry coconut sauce, topped with a dried snapper skin and micro greens followed. A crisp,

delicate Italian Pinot Grigio, which has a pleasantly dry and slightly tannic taste, was paired with this meal and

complemented the light characteristics of the snapper.

Cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew balls, served with soursop purÈe and Appleton white rum mint syrup, acted

as the middleman between the last four courses, which include a chicken and pistachio farce, braised buttered

Caribbean lobster tail, and sliced beef tenderloin.

The highlights of our meal: the sorrel pepper jelly on the roasted pumpkin, served with the chicken meal, and the

cassava cake and yellow yam au gratin, served as a side gave particular credence to the foods of Jamaica.

Special thanks to Chukka Caribbean Adventures for taking the palate on such a fabulous adventure.

Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com
Chaine Des Rotisseurs | A Classy Act
Published:Thursday | December 15, 2016 | 12:00 AM

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JamMex Delight -Chocolate mille-feuille with Papantla vanilla sable, scented with cinnamon and Appleton rum caviar,

cassis and sorrel quenelle with a cacao crust and vanilla foam.

With a mixture of class, flair and style, the Chaine des Rotisseurs Bailliage de la Jamaique celebrated its 31st

anniversary at the Moon Palace Jamaica Grande, Ocho Rios, St Ann, on December 3. The event saw 14 members

being inducted.

With the affable Clifton Reader, the hotel general manager and Chaine member, serving as resident host, the event,

which had a regal feel throughout, started off with cocktails in the ballroom.

Then it was time for the induction where inducting officer Ron Overand took charge, welcoming the new inductees

and reading them the 'riot act' of what to do and what not to do as newly installed Chaine members.

This was followed by the highlight of the evening a 10-course meal that featured the best in Mexican and Jamaican

cuisine.

Instructions were given relating to the rules of the Chaine and the behaviour expected from members over dinner.

These included: no smoking at any time; no speech making; hot meals to be consumed when served, and cell

phones must be turned off during meals.

Diana Dominguez, the hotel's food and beverage manager; Dennis McIntosh, executive chef; and Emilio Benavides,

executive sous-chef, were also on hand to provide expert culinary guidance and to add that little extra touch of class

to the evening.

Following dinner, the mingling continued all the way to the piano bar.

The Chaine des Rotisseurs is an international gastronomic society dedicated to the bringing together of professional

and non-professional members worldwide, who appreciate and share a mutual interest in cuisine, wine, fine dining

and preserving the camaraderie and pleasures of the table.

It was founded in Paris in 1950, but its history is traced back to 1248, when King Louis IX was trying to organise all

the various trades and guilds that existed at the time.

One of these was the guild of 'Les Oyers' or 'Goose Roasters', whose traditions and practices are the foundation of

the Chaine.

Membership of the Chaine des Rotisseurs is by invitation only. Most new members join through recommendation by

friends who are already members.

Chaine membership offers great opportunities to meet people who share a common interest in fine dining and good

friendship. For the professional members, such as chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers, it offers opportunities to

demonstrate their exceptional skills and creativity to a discerning, appreciative group.

While activities vary from country to country, all 'Bailliages' offer fine dining events, often black tie, in the best local

restaurants and hotels.

The menus and dishes are, in many instances, created exclusively for these Chaine events by chefs, many of whom

are also members.

Not only do members then stand out from guests, but knowledgeable members can tell ranks apart by noting the

colour(s) of the different ribbons.

Chaine De Rotisseurs
Published:Thursday | October 15, 2015 | 12:00 AM

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Trinidadian pastel accompanied by cornmeal stuffed with a combination of shredded beef and pork, spiced with Trini

pimento peppers, capers, olives and raisins

WESTERN BUREAU:

Chef RÙtisseur Karl Thomas and his team of five cooked up a delightful storm at the Exquisite Caribbean Cuisine

ChaÓne Dinner, hosted at the Sandy Haven luxury hotel in Negril on Saturday night, in what many members of the

Billage de Jamaique rated as the 'best ChaÓne dinner' they had ever attended.

The six-course dinner which was dubbed a mixology of Caribbean flavours by Vice-Conseiller Culinaire Pierre

Battaglia opened with Jamaican ackee soup with dasheen chips topped with Scotch bonnet pepper caviar. This was

followed by a salad of Vincentian Buljol, Thimbal of salted codfish, avocado, tart tomatoes dressed with olive oil,

Caribbean lime juice and onions; a selection of gourmet lettuce and St Lucian-pickled heart of palm. Both were

served with Mirusson Riesling California wine.

The meat course consisted of Trinidadian pastel accompanied with cornmeal stuffed with a combination of shredded

beef and pork, spiced with Trini pimento peppers, capers, olives and raisins accompanied by Apothic Red California

wine, while the fish course consisted of Barbadian flying fish and cocou, Trinidadian curried crab and mini dumplings,

Jamaican escoveitched fish skin on snapper fillet with a bammy wafer and was completed with Sophia Rose

California wine.
Main Course

The palate cleanser of watermelon salad preceded a break in the dinner which allowed for the members and their

guests to mingle ahead of the well-anticipated main course which consisted of Guyanese pepper pot of duck breast,

oxtail and pig tail slow cooked in Amerindian casareep and native spices accompanied with seasoned yucca

(cassava) and Peppoli Antinori Chianti Classico Italy.

The dinner, which was organised by owner of Sandy Haven, Antoinette Chen, was held on the beach under a large

tent topped off with a 'trio of the Caribbean' consisting of warm dark chocolate and banana bread pudding, soursop

mousse with cinnamon crisp and passion fruit and beetroot gateau served with MonarqVoga Moscato Italy wine.

The Billage de Jamaique is an affiliate organisation of the Chaine de Rotisseurs, the largest culinary group in the

world which was established in France in 1248.

Around The World In Eight Courses
Published:Thursday | December 7, 2017 | 12:00 AMNashauna Lalah

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Contributed

Africa Notes: Suckling pig rib crusted with Jamaican French Thyme, settle on mango chilli sauce infused with a ribena

fume served with apple sweet potato pancake and purple micro green Johnny Walker vinaigrette.

If you have ever been to a Chaine des Rotisseurs dinner, you know it's all about
cameraderie and gastronomy. What less would you expect from the oldest culinary
arts society in the world?

Last Saturday, the Jamaican Bailliage inducted 10 new members before they and their
guests journeyed up to the 17th floor of The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston for
what would be a gastronomic journey of epic proportions.

With the hills of St Andrew to the west and Kingston Harbour to the east, the setting was
perfect for the journey designed by executive chef Mark Cole and his colleagues at the
hotel. Under the theme 'The Past Dictates the Future', each dish was carefully crafted to
reflect authentic 'Jamaican-ness'.

Cole expertly guided guests through the eight-course meal that began with The Arising.
First up, guests' plates was the black crab nest. The black land crab and goat cheese
kibbie served in a rustic plantain nest drizzled with a sorrel-ginger glaze, topped with
kale chips, was amazing. Wine expert Debra Taylor provided a special selection,
courtesy of Select Brands, and for this dish, it was the Pascal Jolivet Attitude 2015,
sauvignon blanc. This was the perfect opener; it was not overpowering with too many
strong flavours to exhaust taste buds so early in the game.

The Two Worlds followed. This was a river mullet consomme - golden-dusted river
mullet swirled in a chicken foot saffron consomme, served with hard dough bread
ravioli. This was paired with Whispering Angel Rose 2016. Charming, refreshing with
enticing strawberry and berry fruit, it really is a rose that should be in everyone's wine
collection.

Moving on to the British Game, palates were treated to braised pigeon and crackling
salad, paired with a 2014 ZD pinot noir. This wine perfectly balanced the pigeon for a
very smooth end result.
PURE PERFECTION
Guests were taken around the world with the Asian Calling: island spiced
salmon, but landed on the sandy beaches with the West Indian connection of
grilled lobster tail rundown. If ever there were a dish that was pure perfection, it
would have to be this. It was the right amount of savoury and spice. This was
paired with Miol Prosecco. The grilled lobster tail rundown was a heavenly
creation. This led into the divine palate cleanser of a dandelion and plum sorbet.

The African Notes was a very exciting dish of suckling pig rib, served with apple sweet
potato pancake and a purple Micro Green Johnny Walker Vinaigrette and a Grich Hill
from the famed Napa Valley. This is a fragrant wine, a 2012, and a perfect blend of
merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

The cherry on top was the Melting Pot - jerked panna cotta and rum-infused bread
pudding. Served with a 2013 Thomas Barton Sauterne, it was a 'sweet plus sweet equal
balanced' equation, which Taylor aptly described as a work of art that you can drink.
The only low point of the night was that like a piece of art, it couldn't be captured and
framed.