A merenda escolar sob a ótica dos diversos atores de uma Escola Pública do município de Cruz das Almas, Bahia

Abstract

Food is very important, especially during the school years, which children and teenagers need nutrients for growth, that influences in school performance too. In this way, it created the Programa Nacional de alimentação Escolar – PNAE, aiming supply the nutritional need of students while at school, since at that time it was large rates of malnutrition in Brazil. Nowadays is happening a nutritional transition, where there is a significant increase of overweight and obesity rates, and the school must be attentive, encouraging the consumption of healthy foods. This study aims to analyze how it is treated the matter of school meals in a public school in Cruz das Almas, Bahia, trying to identify whether it has contributed to the discussion on healthy eating at school. The research is descriptive, with survey through questionnaires to students, teachers, director, cooker and nutritionist. Among the findings, it was observed that most of students are not satisfied with the school’s menu, but they attribute to lunch the function of satisfying hunger, improve school performance and allow the consumption of healthy foods. The teachers and the director also said that school meals has an important role in the student academic performance and always encourage as possible the consumption of healthy foods. The cooker seeks to educate students to not waste food and the nutritionist plans a menu that fits the nutritional values for the students, but does not promote activities that stimulate the development of healthy eating habits. Faced of exposed, it is concluded that school meals is very important for functioning of a school, being seen as essential for all those who interact in it, but we suggested to be carried out activity aimed to raise awareness of healthy eating habits.