{
  "id": 8855014,
  "title": "From nuggets to wholegrain pizza: How UAE schools are changing what children eat",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/from-nuggets-to-wholegrain-pizza-how-uae-schools-are-changing-what",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-21T04:39:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/health/uae-schools-changing-school-lunches-processed-foods-1.500681906"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Across the United Arab Emirates, schools are undergoing significant changes in how they approach children's nutrition. It's no longer just about what food is served for lunch; education on healthy eating habits is also a key focus. Schools are limiting access to highly processed foods, sugary drinks, and other unhealthy options, replacing them with fresh, balanced alternatives. From nuggets to wholegrain pizza, the menu at UAE schools is evolving.\n\nThis shift is driven by a growing understanding of the link between diet quality, school meals, and academic performance. Research from countries like the US, China, and Spain has shown that children's diet can impact their cognitive abilities and overall school performance. However, experts emphasize that a child's academic success is influenced by many factors beyond just their diet.\n\nSo, what is the new school lunch menu looking like? At Credence High School in Dubai, meals are restricted from containing artificial colours, additives, sugar, salt, and saturated fat. Instead, the caterer prepares fresh, nutritious alternatives that are both enjoyable and healthier. The school even displays calorie counts for every item sold, promoting transparency about nutritional value.\n\nAt Raha International School in Abu Dhabi, processed products have been replaced with freshly prepared alternatives. The menu includes dishes like quinoa vegetarian fried rice, meatless \"meatball\" pasta, cauliflower cheese lasagna, and grilled chicken with baked potato wedges. Even baked goods like banana bread and muffins are made with whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and healthier fats.\n\nThe change is not just about removing unhealthy foods; it's also about teaching children how to make better food choices for themselves. Schools are integrating nutrition education into various aspects of the curriculum, from science lessons about the body and exercise to physical education and pastoral discussions about wellbeing. The goal is to instill a lifelong understanding of the connection between food, health, energy, and readiness to learn.",
  "summary": "Across the UAE, schools are increasingly treating children's food as more than a matter of what is served at lunchtime, with nutrition education becoming part of the conversation, too. From restricting highly processed foods and sugary drinks to replacing nuggets with freshly prepared chicken and packet sauces with vegetable-based alternatives, schools are changing what appears on lunch trays and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}