The integration of organic food in kindergarten diet

Ekološka živila so proizvod ekološkega kmetijstva. Ekološko kmetijstvo je oblika in način kmetovanja, ki zagotavlja pridelavo visokokakovostne in varne hrane. Ekološko pridelana hrana je pridelana brez kemičnih gnojil, pesticidov in gensko spremenjenih organizmov, prepovedana je uporaba hormonov kot stimulatorjev rasti ter preventivna uporaba antibiotikov in antidepresivov. Vse to jamči najvišjo kakovost ekološke hrane. Vključevanje kakovostne hrane v vrtčevsko prehrano je zelo pomembno, prav tako tudi seznanitev otrok z ekološkimi živili. Uredba o zelenem javnem naročanju živil določa minimalen delež ekoloških živil v vrtcu, tj. 15 %. Otroci v predšolskem obdobju pridobivajo izkušnje in navade, ki jih nato prenašajo v kasnejša življenjska obdobja, zato je nujno in koristno, da jih spoznamo z ekološko pridelano hrano, saj zdrava prehrana vpliva na zdravje posameznika oziroma kasneje tudi na naslednje generacije. V diplomskem delu sem s pomočjo deskriptivne metode raziskovala, kako organizatorji vrtčevske prehrane v dnevne jedilnike vključujejo ekološka živila ter s kakšnimi težavami se pri tem srečujejo. Za potrebe raziskave sem oblikovala anketni vprašalnik, ki so ga izpolnjevali organizatorji prehrane v različnih vrtcih po Sloveniji. Ugotovila sem, da v večini vrtcev zaposlene informirajo o vključevanju ekološko pridelane hrane na dnevni jedilnik. Prav tako vrtci sodelujejo v različnih zunanjih projektih, ki so namenjeni tako ponudbi hrane kot vključevanju otrok v različne dejavnosti in so tematsko povezani z ekološko pridelano hrano. Pri naročanju se organizatorji prehrane največkrat srečujejo z nezadostno ponudbo ekoloških živil in visokimi cenami. Ekološka živila vključujejo na jedilnik zato, ker so bolj zdrava za otroke, hkrati pa podpirajo lokalno in slovensko pridelavo. Anketiranci menijo, da bi v prihodnje morali v prehrano otrok vključiti več ekološko pridelane hrane. Glede na rezultate raziskave predlagam, da se poveča minimalen delež ekoloških živil v vrtcih in se izboljšajo pogoji za oskrbo vrtcev z ekološkimi živili.Organic food is produced by organic farming which is a form of farming that ensures the production of high-quality and secure food. Organically produced food is produced without chemical fertilizers, pesticides and GMO’s. Use of hormones as growth stimulators as well as the prevention use of antibiotics and antidepressants is also forbidden. All those criteria help to ensure the highest quality of organic food. Integration of quality food in kindergarten diet is very important, as it is to introduce organic food to the children. Slovene regulation on the Green public procurement of food establishes a minimum share of organic food in kindergartens which is 15%. Kindergarten children are getting experiences and habits which are transferred into different age stages. This is why it is necessary and useful to introduce organic food to kindergarten children, because healthy diet influences the health of individuals as well as the next generations. In our thesis we used a descriptive method with research on integration of organic food in kindergarten diet by nutrition specialists in kindergarten and on what kind of difficulties they experience by doing that. For research purposes we made a questionnaire, which was sent to nutrition specialists in different kindergartens in Slovenia. We have established that employees in the majority of kindergartens are informed on integration of organic food on daily menu. Kindergartens also participate in different external projects, which are intended to offer food as well as to integrate children in various activities and are thematically connected to organically produced food. While procuring organic food, nutrition specialists often experience insufficient offer and high prices of organic food. They include organic food on the kindergarten menu, because it is healthier for the children and at the same time they support local and Slovene food production. Their opinion is that in the future more organically produced food should be incorporated in kindergarten diet. Considering the results of our research we propose that a minimum share of organic food in kindergartens and that the terms of procuring organic food in kindergartens become better.