The new canteen food guidelines will ensure more food for thought for students and parents.
The National Union of the Teaching Profession yesterday urged the government to conduct a study on what schoolchildren eat at home to identify the cause of obesity.
Its president, Hashim Adnan, said children's eating habits outside school were the main contributor to obesity.
"It is sad to hear that nasi lemak will be sold only twice a week as it is not the cause of obesity among schoolchildren, but, rather, what they eat outside school."
Hashim said the new canteen food guidelines would badly affect canteen operators as nasi lemak was their main food item.
"The government should carry out a study at the beginning of the next school term and not now."
He added that canteen operators had an agreement with schools on food items to be sold to cover their rental and make a little profit.
"If the ministry bans most of the food items, what will canteen operators sell to students?"
Malaysian Dietitians Association president Tan Yoke Hwa said the ministry should train canteen operators to prepare nasi lemak healthily instead of restricting its availability.
"Canteen operators should be taught to cook the food items with less oil, salt and santan."
Tan added that the authorities should make sure the operators adhered to the guidelines.
However, she praised the move to ban fast food such as burgers, sau-sages and nuggets. "Having (fast food) every day in canteens will tempt students to eat it more often."
