Many children stay in the school canteen, although it is increasingly common that, either for health reasons, or for economic reasons, the children take the food from home to the school canteen.
However, this fact clashes with the regulation and control of the food offered in the school canteen, since the school is the last responsible, and of course the food that children take from their homes in lunch boxes do not pass through The same controls.
Also the measures of conservation and heating of these foods means that some people in charge of the centers do not agree, since refrigerators, microwaves and personnel would be needed to heat the food.
Therefore, several associations of mothers and fathers of students of Catalonia, of public, concerted and private centers, have requested Ensenyament regulate the use of lunch boxes in school canteens, which have registered a 20% decrease in the influx of students due to the economic crisis.
It is certainly cheaper to eat at home than at school, but it is not always possible for children to return home at lunchtime, so why not take food to school, just like They carry lunch?
The reality is that in many schools areas with microwaves have already been enabled so that schoolchildren, mainly from ESO and Baccalaureate, can heat food brought from home. With the kids is another matter, because they alone should not handle the oven.
For this reason, a refrigerator, microwave and adequate spaces are demanded in schools so that schoolchildren can eat with peace of mind, and with a monitor that controls the development of this community act, while maintaining hygiene habits and social customs.
Another issue would be to verify that these children make a balanced meal, avoiding fast pre-prepared, industrial meals ... Surely some would lose in quality with respect to school menus, which they try to make increasingly healthy.
But the debate is open and I think it is a great possibility for children to bring food from home to the school canteen, I would certainly consider it if my daughters stayed to eat there.
