Dubai is leveling up student wellness with a massive, tech-driven initiative aimed at revolutionizing school meals and fighting childhood health issues. Spearheaded by Dubai Municipality (DM), the new “My School Food” digital platform is much more than a website; it is an entire ecosystem designed to ensure every child across the emirate eats healthier, safer food.
Why is Dubai targeting school plates?
This landmark initiative, unveiled during the 19th Dubai International Food Safety Conference, is a strategic response to widespread health concerns, including high rates of childhood obesity and lifestyle disorders. The goal is clear: to foster sustainable, healthy eating habits from a young age and support children’s physical and cognitive development.The program’s scale is ambitious. It targets more than 400,000 students across over 500 educational institutions, including schools, nurseries, and universities. Critically, it also brings more than 50 school food suppliers and caterers under a single, rigorous regulatory umbrella. By transforming the food environment in educational facilities, Dubai aims to create a new, long-term standard for student health.
What is “My School Food”?
Dubai Municipality has launched a digital platform called My School Food to raise the standard of meals served in schools and teach students healthy eating habits. The platform bundles menu approval tools, nutrition guidance, e-learning for pupils, and dashboards for schools, parents and suppliers so every stakeholder can track meals and compliance.
- AI Chatbot ‘Ghalia’: The platform features an intelligent, AI-powered assistant named “Ghalia.” This chatbot offers instant, reliable guidance to students, parents, teachers, and suppliers on everything from food safety best practices to balanced nutrition queries and tips for reducing food waste.
- The Learning Hub (LMS): The portal acts as a one-stop digital hub, offering a Learning Management System (LMS) with tailored e-content. Parents get healthy recipes, students enjoy gamified tutorials and interactive content on making smart food choices, and suppliers receive structured training modules and certification opportunities.
- Real-Time Monitoring: The platform is seamlessly integrated with DM Checked, Dubai’s real-time
food safety monitoring system. This digital linkage allows DM inspectors to track and approve school menus daily, and monitor supplier compliance. - NutriCheck & NIC Role: To ensure accountability, DM introduced the NutriCheck self-auditing platform. This mandates monthly self-audits by catering companies and schools. Furthermore, a new role, the Nutrition in Charge (NIC), must be appointed in each institution. The NIC is a trained staff member responsible for overseeing daily nutritional quality and compliance, similar to the existing Person in Charge (PIC) for general food safety.
The new menu rules
The most visible change for students and parents is the introduction of stricter, evidence-based nutritional guidelines enforced via the Smart Food Choices System. This system categorizes foods using a clear, color-coded structure to nudge everyone toward healthier decisions:
| Food Category | Color Code | Status | Examples |
| Encouraged Daily | Green | Promote access and consumption | Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, water, low-fat milk. |
| Allowed Occasionally | Yellow | Consume in controlled portions | Foods that can be included with moderation and portion control. |
| Restricted | Red | Limited/Rare consumption only | Foods that are high in specific fats or sugars. |
| Banned Entirely | Black | Strictly prohibited from canteens | Deep-fried foods, heavily processed snacks, high-sugar beverages. |
The detailed guidelines go beyond color-coding, demanding that schools and suppliers adhere to strict rules on:
- Portion Control: Meals must feature age-specific planning and mandatory calorie calculations.
- Clarity in Labeling: Labels must be clearer, detailing nutritional information based on the actual serving size (the amount a student consumes), not just per 100 grams.
- Core Requirements: Emphasis is placed on boosting nutrient-dense foods and fibre intake, while regulating or reducing added sugar and caffeinated drinks (like tea and coffee).
- Holistic Safety: Protocols also cover institutional hygiene standards and strict allergy management.
The 2025-2026 academic rollout
Dubai’s ‘My School Food’ platform marks a monumental shift towards prioritizing student health through technology and strict standards. The initiative is already active, covering over 400,000 students and 500 educational institutions. While the digital tools and monitoring are immediately available, the most critical changes, full adherence to the new, stricter color-coded nutritional guidelines, will be systematically phased in throughout the 2025-2026 Academic Year. This comprehensive rollout ensures the move towards healthier options and a smart, nutritious future is both rapid and sustainable for all of Dubai’s youth.
