More than 1200 children and young people responded to the school meal feedback survey

Based on the survey, the taste of the food is particularly pleasing to kindergarten children, preschoolers and 1st and 2nd graders. They rated the taste on a three-point scale. Two thirds of the respondents gave the food's taste the best rating.

Third-graders and older pupils and students, as well as staff, were more critical of the taste of food than children. They gave the taste a school grade, and the average response was 6,9. The average rating given by the staff for the taste of the food was 7,4.

In the open-ended answers, they wished for more taste, variety and spices in the food.

- The goal is that every eating place should have table spices with which diners can season their food to suit their own taste. We are checking that this will certainly be the case everywhere in the future, food service director Elina Särmälä About Saimaa's support services.

The aim is also to pay more attention to the appearance of the food in the future.

There should be enough food for everyone

Feedback was also requested on the adequacy of the food. Based on the answers, the food according to the menu has been enough for small children, but the food for older school children and staff may have run out from time to time.

This has happened especially in the Mansikkala school center, where older students and high school students gave the food adequacy a rating of 7,4. The corresponding grade was 8,0 in Koski school center and 8,5 in Vuoksenniska.

It is difficult to estimate the food consumption, especially in Mansikkala, says Särmälä. The number of diners there varies daily due to, among other things, the variation in the reading order of high school students. In Mansikkala, portion sizes are one and a half or even two times larger than in other school centers.

- It is clear that the food should not run out. In the future, we will try to ensure that there are enough food options on the menu for everyone and that there will definitely be enough food for the high school students who eat last, Särmälä states.

No one has been left without food at the school meal. If the food option on the menu has run out, something else has been offered.

Additional labor is coming to maintain cleanliness

Diners generally found the dining areas comfortable. However, preschoolers and 1st and 2nd grade students more often than others gave a weak rating to the comfort of the dining facilities: 20% of the respondents gave the comfort the worst rating. Older students and staff gave the comfort of the dining facilities a rating of 7,4.

- This would indicate that small diners might not feel comfortable among large schoolchildren. We are thinking about what kind of measures we could take to increase the enjoyment of even small school children. For example, could spaces be shared more than currently, for example, between the small and the large, Imatra's space and safety manager Sami Turunen says.

Feedback was also given in the survey about the cleanliness of the dining facilities. Especially on the floors there can be food during mealtime, which sticks to the feet of students walking in their socks.

- Cleaning the floors during mealtimes is challenging, because meals are precisely timed, especially now in the corona era. Additional labor is coming to the school centers to help maintain the cleanliness of the canteens, says Turunen.

Kudos to the kitchen staff

The food service staff, who were said to be friendly and helpful, received thanks in the survey. A clear majority of the smallest respondents gave the staff the best rating. Senior schoolchildren, high school students and staff also find the kitchen staff friendly: the average grade given by schoolchildren and students was 8,5 and the staff's 9,0.

- Our staff is professional and we pay special attention to customer service. It's great that it can also be seen by the diners, Särmälä is happy.

In the open-ended answers, the kitchen staff were praised for helping and always answering questions about special diets, for example: "The staff is excellent, friendly and cheerful, who do their work with a big heart. Many thanks to them!”

More than 1200 answers

The school food survey was carried out in the early childhood education units and schools of the city of Imatra during November. Kindergarten children, preschoolers, and 1st and 2nd grade students answered the survey in groups led by the teacher. They evaluated the statements presented on a three-point scale: smiley face – non-smiling face – sad face.

Older students and kindergarten and school staff answered the survey individually. They evaluate the arguments with school grades.

In addition, the survey had open questions.

A total of over 1200 responses were received. Saimaa support services and the city of Imatra will continue reviewing the results of the survey during the rest of the year.

For more information:

Food service director Elina Särmälä, Saimaa support services,  elina.sarmalasaimaantukipalvelut.fi (elina[dot]sarmala[at]saimaandukipalvelut[dot]fi), 040 827 4667

Facilities and security manager Sami Turunen, City of Imatra, sami.turunenimatra.fi (sami[dot]turunen[at]imatra[dot]fi), 020 617 4450