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Article categories: Archive News

Pancakes make a comeback

Published: 25.3.2021

Last week was a day of joy and happiness in Vaasa’s schools and daycare centres when pancakes once again returned to the menu alongside pea soup after a break. Menus are actively developed together with children and youngsters.

Hietalahti School’s 2 A class enters the canteen excitedly and curiously.

– I’m a little excited, because there have been no pancakes for a long time, exclaims Sini Perälä happily.

– I didn’t really even remember what pancakes looked like, recalls Sophia Mattila.

The children think the pea soup and pancakes on Thursday fit together perfectly. And even with jam on top!

Food services for daycare centres and schools in the City of Vaasa are provided by Teese Botnia Oy, of which the City of Vaasa is one of the owners. Schools and daycare centres have a six-week revolving menu with pancakes served once every six weeks. Menus

Valuable feedback from the youth food council

Katja Imppola, Teese Botnia’s Director of Food Services, says that the pancakes were returned to the menu based on the results of a customer satisfaction survey.

– We do a survey for schoolchildren once a year, and a lot of pancakes were wanted back. If a new dish is proposed, we will try to make the wishes come true whenever possible.

The respondents to the annual customer satisfaction survey are 5th graders, 8th graders and upper secondary school pupils.

Food Services also receives valuable feedback from the youth food panel. The panel includes ten representatives of youth councils from Vaasa-based secondary schools and upper secondary schools. The panel, which meets four times a year, discussed, for example, the quality of fish dishes and vegetarian dishes at its March meeting.

– Veggie steaks as well as spinach are liked, but it was hoped to use soybean meal instead of textured soy protein strips, for example, says Imppola.

Vegan option for upper secondary schools will start in the autumn

The customer satisfaction survey and the food panel have also called for an improvement in school salad buffet selections.

– The salads are better now and we are really satisfied, say food panel members Madelene Teca from Lyseon Lukio and Elias Riekki from Onkilahden yhtenäiskoulu.

Youngsters have also often hoped for a vegan food option in schools. Now this wish has also been heard.

– There are plans to start offering vegan food in upper secondary schools next autumn, and this could possibly be extended to secondary schools later, Imppola says.