Estonian schools cut salt in meals — some pupils bring their own salt shaker to the canteen
During open-door days at Tartu school canteens this week, a gradual reduction in salt content has divided pupils' opinions, with some children now bringing salt from home.
Around 70 Estonian school canteens have opened their doors this week to parents and other visitors wishing to try school meals, as is customary. In Tartu, however, relatively few visitors showed up, with teachers making up most of the adult guests rather than parents.
Several teachers praised the food. A teacher at Raatuse School, who has eaten school lunches for nine years, called the meals healthy and filling. A teacher at Kiivilinna School said he appreciated the choice between a vegetarian dish and a pork dish, adding that a portion costing 3.28 euros was worth the price.
A lack of salt
Pupils' opinions were more divided. The main complaint was that food tastes bland due to reduced salt. School leaders in Tartu explained that the amount of salt in meals has been gradually lowered since last year, though it takes time for children to adjust. The principal of Kiivilinna School acknowledged that pupils began complaining the food was bland, since they were used to saltier meals.
A student at the Kristjan Jaak Peterson Gymnasium said she now brings her own salt to school because it is nearly impossible to find any in the canteen. Other classmates, however, praised the school food's variety, the wide choice of drinks, and highlighted schnitzel as a favourite dish.
A journalist who also sampled the food noted it was less salty than she was used to, though the vegetarian dish was tasty and well-seasoned. The cauliflower, by contrast, seemed rather bland, and the juice tasted unusually sour, likely because no sugar had been added.
Younger pupils were more likely to skip sauces altogether, opting instead for plain rice or buckwheat with vegetables, while others named sauces as their favourite part of the meal.
