Finnish children and young people eat fewer vegetables than recommended. In spring 2025, Kaarea and the City of Turku began to think about how we could help children eat more vegetables. We wanted to find out what changes to school salad bars could encourage students to eat more vegetables. We looked for solutions together with children and young people.

We started a project to improve school salad bars. We listened to student council boards and participants in the Children’s Parliament. We also carried out a large survey in eight comprehensive schools in Turku. A total of 1,388 students answered the survey.

Students evaluated the ingredients already available at the salad bar. They told us which ingredients they liked and which ones did not encourage them to eat vegetables. We also asked them what they thought about set of new options for the salad bar.

Students told us what works

The survey results clearly showed that students wanted more familiar vegetables that they liked. They also wanted more choice over what they put on their plates. The most popular options were cucumber, grated carrot, carrot pieces, bell pepper, iceberg lettuce, and tomato. Marinated and premixed salads were the least popular. Students also wanted more fruit, vegetable sticks, and separate options that they could combine as they liked. The survey also showed that the appearance and texture of vegetables are important to children and young people

Students’ wishes led to practical changes

We made practical changes based on the survey results. We added popular vegetables to the salad bar and reduced options that students clearly liked less. We also added fruit pieces, vegetable sticks, and oven-roasted root vegetables. We shared information about the changes in dining halls, through Wilma, and on social media.

One reason for the project’s success was the way we designed the survey. Instead of asking mainly open questions, we asked students to vote on a set of options chosen in advance. This helped us make sure that their wishes could be carried out within our product range and the nutrition recommendations. We could then put the students’ wishes into practice quickly.

Consumption increased after the changes

The new salad bar was introduced in January 2026. We then followed the results during the spring semester. The results were encouraging.

In spring 2026, children and young people in Turku’s daycare centers, schools, and upper secondary education institutions ate about 21,000 kilograms more fruit, vegetables, and oven-roasted root vegetables than during the same period one year earlier.

The average amount of fruit, vegetables, and root vegetables increased from 55 grams to 63 grams per person each day to increase about 15 percent. The biggest increase was in fruit and vegetables. The use of oven-roasted root vegetables also increased significantly.

Many factors affect food choices at school. However, vegetable consumption increased at the same time as we made changes to the salad bar based on the survey. Teachers and parents have also given a great deal of positive feedback about the changes.

It is important to listen to children

Children and young people want to take part in improving school meals. The survey showed that students value both healthy and environmentally friendly choices. Of the students who answered the survey, 75 percent said it was very or fairly important that school food is healthy. In addition, 66 percent said it was very or fairly important that school food is environmentally friendly. Students can also give clear examples of what would encourage them to eat more vegetables.

When we asked students what they thought and acted on their wishes, we also saw changes in how the salad bar was used. It was important to consider the practical requirements of school meals from the start. This meant that as many ideas as possible could be put into practice. The increase in vegetable consumption encourages us to continue improving school meals together with children and young people.