The aim of the program is to include traditional Latvian rye bread in the daily meals of pupils, and contribute to the development of a school catering system based on the use of agricultural and food products produced in Latvia, the Ministry said.
Thus, a pilot project of the rye bread programme will be implemented frommSeptember 1 until the end of the year, covering both kindergarten pupils and pupils in grades 1 to 9. The aim of the pilot project is to raise awareness and promote the consumption of rye bread as an important, regionally specific, nutritious food from an early age.
With the increasing popularity of other types of bread and a wide variety of foods, the popularity and recognition of rye bread as a nutritious food, as well as other healthy foods, is declining. Rye bread is a nutrient-dense food specific to Latvia, so it is important to get young people used to eating it from an early age, the ministry claims.
The project aims to reach at least 50% of the target audience of 141,000 pupils through various activities. The rye bread to be distributed in educational establishments will have certain requirements, such as it must be produced in Latvia, traditionally made with leavening and natural leaven, contain at least 80 % rye flour, be low in salt, etc.
