Senate Bill Proposes To Ban Junk Food In School

Senator Lito Lapid has made it into headlines recently with his proposed Senate Bill that aims to ban junk foods inside public and private schools and within a 100-m perimeter.

This is not the first time that the action star turned senator proposed the same notion. In 2010, he also filed a Senate Bill entitled “School Nutrition and Balanced Diet Act of 2010, aiming to prohibit junk foods in schools. It hasn’t been implemented, though.

Senate Bill 1231, also known as the Healthy Food and Beverages Choice Program, aims to promote not only the well-being and health of students, but also aims to develop healthy eating habits that they can carry into adulthood.

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"Healthy eating plays an important role in learning and cognitive development. Studies show that children who do not get adequate nutrients experience more difficulty in learning from school leading to lower academic test scores, or worse, tend to drop out of school," Sen. Lito Lapid said in his explanatory note.

"Ensuring the availability of food that are high in nutritional content will not only promote better health but also better learning," he added.

'Children who do not get adequate nutrients experience more difficulty in learning.' –Sen. Lito Lapid

Study shows prevalence of malnutrition in Filipino children

The Senator’s proposal mentioned a study conducted by UNICEF Philippines in 2014 indicating that 94 Filipino children die every day because of malnutrition. This was supported by a 2021 study by World Bank and mentioned that there had been no improvements in the prevalence of malnutrition in the Philippines for the past 30 years.

For parents who don’t have enough time preparing their child’s school baon, the Senate Bill is quite helpful.
If implemented, parents can be confident that only healthy foods are available in schools, without worrying too much if their kids are munching only on junk food.

Kids eat what is available

Dr. Margarita Santiago-Torres (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center), together with a group of doctors, conducted a study regarding obesity that showed evidences of the correlation of food availability and children’s eating habits:

“The home food environment and familial eating habits play a key role in children's diet given that they impart examples of eating habits and influence access to foods at home. For example, extensive research has demonstrated a positive association between fruit and vegetable availability at home and children's intakes of these foods, and the frequency of family meals is proposed to influence the diet of children.”

If healthy foods are readily available to children, it will be easier for them to include it in their eating habits. Likewise, if there’s access to unlimited sweets and junk foods, it’ll be easy for them to choose the latter.

What we can do in the meantime

While the said Senate Bill is not yet approved, we can still ensure that our kids maintain healthy eating habits while at school.

Even though bento baon boxes are trending now, a full and healthy baon doesn’t need too much elaboration.
Harvard School of Public Health published a guide on preparing healthy baon that’s still fun and doesn’t require too much time, focusing on these main factors:

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1. Always remember good choices

A healthy and filling baon must always include a variety of choices: fruits, vegetables, healthy protein, whole grain, and dairy (if desired). The formula is simple: fill half of the plate (or lunch box) with colorful fruits or vegetables (aim for two to three different types), one-quarter with whole grains, and the remaining quarter with healthy proteins. 

Healthy fats and a small amount of dairy (if desired) round out a tasty meal that will fuel an active, healthy lifestyle.

Example: A handful of grapes, cucumber, scrambled eggs, pasta, and milk

2. Presentation can help

Always take in mind that kids are highly curious, and even a slight change in the shape of food can change the way they see it.

Fruits, vegetables, and bread can be cut and prepared into different shapes. Having a ‘themed’ lunchbox can also be interesting, for example, Korean Day, All-Filipino, Mexican, etc. Even the lunch box itself can also make a huge difference in a kid’s baon.

3. Save time with meal prep

To save time in meal preparation, choose a day that is less busy to wash, peel and chop fruits and vegetables. Proteins can also be cooked in advance, frozen then thawed afterwards. 

For older kids, let them in on the meal preparation the night before so they also know what to expect. Continuously researching for healthy baon ideas can also save time in meal preparation, because you already have an idea of what to do.

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4. Super snacks will save you

As a fall back, choose snacks that are considered “super” in terms of nutrients. This will fill in the hunger gaps and make sure that kids get enough nutrients. Examples of these super snacks are nuts, apples, and string cheese.

5. Go for water and nothing else

Last but not the least, make sure that kids are hydrated with water. It is surely healthy as it contains zero sugar, calories, caffeine, and other additives. Water replenishes all the needed fluids, too.

While waiting for the Senate Bill to be approved and for schools to regulate the availability of junk foods, parents can take a small step in preparing healthy and fun baon for their kids.

After all, healthy eating habits start at home.