The project aims to develop an integrated system for healthy nutrition in these nurseries and kindergartens, ensuring the quality and safety of meals as well as consistency in their preparation and service standards to meet children's needs at various developmental stages. It also seeks to make healthy nutrition an integral part of the child's daily experience, thereby raising nutritional awareness and helping to instill healthy habits and choices from an early age.

The "Healthy Food via Central Kitchens" project aligns with the goals of the "Baba Sultan’s Healthy Food Ambassadors" programme launched by Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) in collaboration with the Sharjah Department of Agriculture and Livestock. Both initiatives reflect the Emirate of Sharjah’s commitment to promoting healthy nutrition and establishing sound dietary habits among children from their early years; while the ambassador programme fosters awareness of healthy dietary practices and choices, the "Healthy Food" project translates this vision into a daily reality through the meals served to children in nurseries and kindergartens.

Her Excellency Dr Muhadditha Yahya Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Education Academy, stated: "The Healthy Food via Central Kitchens project stems from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. This vision places human health and quality of life at the core of development, affirming that building future generations begins with comprehensive care for their health and education from their earliest years.

The project is an extension of a broader framework adopted by the Emirate of Sharjah to promote healthy, safe food, foster nutritional awareness among children, and transform healthy dietary habits into a sustainable, daily culture within the educational environment."

Al Hashimi added: "We have ensured that the project combines food quality, safety, and nutritional value with a precise operational and oversight system that caters to the age-specific and health needs of every child. This approach supports children's health and the quality of their educational experience while establishing a sustainable, scalable model."

Institutional integration supporting food quality

The project embodies the integration of efforts among Sharjah’s institutions by utilising local products supplied by the Sharjah Agricultural and Livestock Production Establishment ("Ektifa") and preparing meals in the kitchens of the Sharjah Hotels Establishment. This links local production directly to the meals served to children within an integrated system that supports the Emirate’s food security objectives.

Furthermore, this collaboration exemplifies an institutional partnership model that leverages the expertise and capabilities of local entities to enhance children's health and quality of life. Ms. Khawla Ali Al Hosani, Deputy Director of the Sharjah Education Academy, stated: "The first phase of the 'Healthy Food via Central Kitchens' project enabled a field test of the system across 10 geographically distributed nurseries, allowing us to measure its impact on children, families, and staff; notably, 96% of parents participating in the evaluation recommended continuing the project. These results paved the way for the next phase by adopting the central kitchens model. This model standardizes meal preparation and monitoring processes according to approved benchmarks, ensuring consistent quality and efficiency in preparation, transport, and service. We are also pleased to announce that the Sharjah government is subsidising 50% of the meal costs, thereby easing the financial burden on families and enabling children to benefit from the healthy nutrition system provided in the nurseries."

Dr Eng. Khalifa Musabah Al Tunaiji, CEO of the Sharjah Agricultural and Livestock Production (Ektifa), emphasised that this collaboration embodies the synergy between the relevant entities and contributes to maximizing the use of local agricultural and livestock products while enhancing supply chain efficiency. He explained that Ektifa is responsible for supplying the agreed-upon products to Sharjah National Hotels so they can be prepared into meals that meet the nutritional needs of the target groups served by the Sharjah Education Academy. He added that this model supports the Emirate of Sharjah’s drive to enhance food security and sustainability. It also reinforces the status of local products as a reliable choice capable of meeting the needs of various sectors.

For his part, Ian Phillips, CEO of Sharjah National Hotels, said: "At Sharjah National Hotels and its subsidiary, Sharjah National Catering, we are proud to partner with the Sharjah Education Academy to realize the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi. Together, we aim to enhance the health and well-being of Sharjah’s children through a comprehensive program providing healthy, organic meals to children aged one to five. These meals rely primarily on ingredients grown or produced locally within the Emirate of Sharjah. We believe this initiative sets new standards for early childhood nutrition. It is a long-term program that respects local culture and regional dietary traditions, supports children's growth and learning, and helps instill healthy eating habits and choices from their earliest years."

A healthy meal that boosts learning and skill development

The journey of the meal is governed by an integrated oversight system. This process begins with menu approval and raw material inspection, proceeds through preparation, cooking, packaging, and transportation, and concludes with delivery to the nursery and service to the children—all while implementing specific quality measures and health conditions. The system also supports digital platforms that enable the creation of nutritional and health records for each child, allowing for the monitoring of their needs and fostering better communication with families.

The meal service goes beyond merely meeting a child's nutritional requirements; it also supports aspects of their growth and learning. The act of eating helps develop fine motor skills and introduces children to colors, numbers, food sources, and food categories—thereby enhancing their nutritional awareness and encouraging them to adopt healthy choices from an early age.

The impact of this initiative extends beyond the nursery by fostering family engagement and encouraging children to make healthy dietary choices at home, helping to build positive, sustainable habits from childhood. To support families and facilitate access to the service, the Government of Sharjah subsidizes 50% of the meal costs, with parents contributing the remaining amount.