At Leela’s Lunches, our commitment to providing nutritious school meals goes beyond the kitchen. We believe that being a trusted healthy school lunch provider means staying at the forefront of food safety standards, nutritional excellence, and regulatory compliance. That’s why we’re proud to share that our Co-Founder & Executive Nutritionist, Kanika Hughes, and our Hygiene & Quality Manager, Nimitha Aryakandi, have successfully completed Dubai Municipality’s prestigious Nutrition in Charge (NIC) certification program.
What is the Nutrition in Charge Program?
The NIC certification is Dubai Municipality’s rigorous training program designed exclusively for technical experts working with educational institutions and food suppliers. The intensive one-day program included:
A comprehensive two-hour pre-assessment exam
- Extensive case studies on food safety and pediatric nutrition by age, from nursery to university level
- In-depth review of the Dubai Food Code and My School Food guidelines
- A final certification exam
Both Kanika and Nimitha passed with flying colours, with Kanika earning a place on the merit list—a recognition reserved for those with exceptional expertise in nutrition.
Why This Matters
With our NIC certification, we can now audit our partner schools following Dubai Municipality’s established guidelines, ensuring our custom school menus for kids meet the highest standards for food safety and child nutrition programs. This keeps us aligned with Dubai’s vision for school meal programs as outlined in Dubai Plan 2030 and beyond.
Our Commitment to Excellence
Achieving the Nutrition in Charge certification is another step in our journey to provide balanced meals for nurseries and schools across the UAE—meals that are safe, nutritious, and aligned with the highest regulatory standards.
Our relationship with Dubai Municipality reflects our ongoing commitment to thought leadership in sustainable school catering. We don’t just follow guidelines—we actively participate in shaping the future of school food in the UAE.
As a top education catering provider, we’re proud to lead by example, investing in our team’s expertise and staying ahead of industry developments. Because when it comes to feeding the next generation, we believe in doing things right.
Here’s to raising the bar for school food programs, one certified meal at a time. 🌱