Food & Nutrition

With its rich multicultural heritage, Singapore serves up a true melting pot of flavors and foods through Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan dishes. Food is undoubtedly an important aspect of life in Singapore, and here at Singapore American School, that is no different.

SAS built our first cafeteria in 1956 and hired Ho Tee Jam and Hoe Juan Sim to oversee our dining services. The Hoe family and their children and grandchildren have continued to create dishes such as curry, Hoe’s sweet and sour chicken, and Hoe’s Szechuan chicken that alumni have listed for decades as some of their fondest food memories in Singapore. While the favorites have become healthier through the years, the Hoe brothers continue to embody the legacy of Singaporean food culture and the heart and soul experience of authentic local food done right.

The task of guiding children toward enjoying balanced nutrition with a positive approach toward healthy eating is not always easy. The statistics show many of our children are likely to face a number of food related health problems and childhood obesity continues to be the number one concern. At the other end of the spectrum, anorexia nervosa and other disordered eating behaviors are becoming more prevalent.

Between these extremes, many children are at risk of common deficiencies such as iron and calcium that can compromise growth and brain development. Other key micro-nutrient deficiencies such as omega three fatty acids have been shown to impact on behavior and classroom focus.

In addition to providing healthier school meals, we also see the SAS dining table as an important opportunity to help reinforce to all students the benefits of balance, better food choices, and the experience of new tastes from across the globe. We recognize that the school years are when most eating habits are formed and there is only a small window to optimize growth and development. As such, students of all ages are encouraged with lots of “healthy eating nudges,” whether this is given as positive feedback to choices made, encouragement by teachers and assistants, or by the dedicated team of lunch moms who are on hand in the elementary and middle school cafeterias.

The USDA Choose My Plate website is also recommended as a valuable source of healthy eating and activity resources and recipes. To find out more go to: www.ChooseMyPlate.gov