In the Mykolaiv region, more than 40 schools post photos of meals on Khvylka every day

The head of the Department of Education and Science of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Alla Velikhovska, at a briefing on Wednesday, 22 April, explained how the chatbot “Khvylka” works to monitor school meals for children in the region’s educational institutions.

According to her, more than 40 schools and kindergartens have already joined the pilot launch of the service. The service primarily provides feedback to parents: each morning institutions publish photos of the dishes and upload the menu, and users can immediately leave comments or complaints.

“The purpose of the chatbot “Khvylka” is to ensure communication with parents, first and foremost. That is, every morning institutions photograph and post photos of the dishes being prepared, and the menu being used to prepare today’s meals in the institution is also uploaded. Parents enter this chatbot, see how the dishes look and can immediately write there if something does not satisfy them, if something is wrong, and so on.”

Submitted appeals are simultaneously received by the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the education department and representatives of local communities — so that the commissions set up can promptly go out, inspect the site and check the validity of the complaint. The head of the department clarified that canteen staff also instantly see the messages, and each institution keeps daily samples of meals for possible laboratory tests in case of incidents.

“This way the canteen representatives are aware that there is a complaint. In each institution there are necessarily daily samples that are kept for 24 hours so that in case of some serious misunderstandings this meal can be taken for analysis, research can be conducted and the cause can really be determined.”

Commenting on menu formation, Velikhovska emphasized that seasonal menus lasting three months are used in the region — they are compiled taking into account the vegetables and fruits available at a given time of year. Medical personnel take part in the process, and all documents must be approved by the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, so schools cannot independently prepare or change dishes.

“When it is developed (the menu — ed.), nurses are definitely involved and approval by the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection is definitely required, so no institution today has the right to replace any dish or to prepare something of their own.”

Detailing the approach to balance, she added that the menu is planned for two weeks so that during this period children receive the necessary nutrients — proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber and others — in appropriate amounts. If certain items are not to students’ taste, surveys are conducted among children and parents, after which substitutions are possible, but only with repeated approval by the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, so as not to disrupt the nutritional balance.

Velikhovska separately drew attention to children’s preferences and the educational component regarding a healthy diet.

“When we surveyed children about which dishes they would like, French fries were in first place, then sushi, pizzas, hamburgers and everything else. Probably the queue at McDonald’s says it all. But for us it is extremely important; today we have moved to the fourth stage, when we are already explaining and teaching children the basics of healthy eating.”

Earlier we wrote:

• Kim: the region must manage to choose everything: the coat of arms, school food and a candidate for the “Golden Star”
• Children in Mykolaiv are being fed with violations: alarming problems were found in 27 of 32 inspected schools
• The first complaints to the bot about school food have already arrived: what is happening in the region’s schools
• A Telegram bot is being launched in Mykolaiv region to monitor school meals
• More than 4,000 schoolchildren in Mykolaiv refused free meals: what the city administration says