7. Visit to the canteen of the Helene-Lange-Gymnasium Markgröningen
The school canteen at Helene-Lange-Gymnasium in Markgröningen differs in many ways from the other school canteens we have visited. The canteen team consists of a cook and other permanent staff. Eating in the canteen is an integral part of the school day and is already included in the school fees. This makes the payment process less complicated and gives the canteen a very familiar atmosphere. Every day, the pupils meet at fixed times for twenty minutes to eat lunch together. The meal begins with a minute of silence followed by a loud bell. The pupils sit in fixed groups at small tables, which they set themselves. They then serve themselves from the food containers in the middle of the table. This allows each child to decide individually how much they want to eat. In the canteen, there is a choice between a vegetarian and a meat-based dish.
The school canteen at Helene-Lange-Gymnasium in Markgröningen differs in many ways from the other school canteens we have visited. The canteen team consists of a cook and other permanent staff. Eating in the canteen is an integral part of the school day and is already included in the school fees. This makes the payment process less complicated and gives the canteen a very familiar atmosphere. Every day, the pupils meet at fixed times for twenty minutes to eat lunch together. The meal begins with a minute of silence followed by a loud bell. The pupils sit in fixed groups at small tables, which they set themselves. They then serve themselves from the food containers in the middle of the table. This allows each child to decide individually how much they want to eat. In the canteen, there is a choice between a vegetarian and a meat-based dish.
During the long break, the canteen staff also sell snacks, fruit and homemade muesli. The pastries are not packed in bags, but given directly to the students on a plate, which also helps to reduce packaging waste.
Pupils can post feedback to the canteen about the food they have cooked or even make requests in a letterbox.
During our visit, we were able to speak to many pupils. The pupils also filled in our questionnaires on topics relating to sustainability in their school canteen. We also had the chance to interview the kitchen staff. Unfortunately, it was not possible to gain an insight into the kitchen. We are looking forward to the results once the questionnaires have been evaluated.