Menus at Spanish schools are set to be transformed after the government’s Council of Ministers approved the Royal Decree on Healthy and Sustainable School Cafeterias.
The initiative aims to ensure that students at public, state-subsidized, and private schools have access to a nutritious, varied diet aligned with official health recommendations. It will guarantee five healthy meals a week to all children, regardless of family income.
Notably, the law will protect children’s right to a 100% plant-based menu in schools, and where this is not possible, schools will be required to provide the means to refrigerate and heat food that students bring from home. The initiative will also mandate increased consumption of legumes, setting weekly servings in line with the recommendations of scientific and health organizations.
“We trust that this new decree will finally lead to offering children a more varied, balanced, and healthy diet, and that they will be able to learn about the benefits of a more plant-based diet,” said Verónica Larco, communications director at ProVeg Spain.
“Countless benefits”
The decree will also guarantee daily consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in all schools with cafeterias, requiring that at least 45% of the produce served is seasonal to benefit Spanish farmers and the environment. Sugary foods and energy drinks will be eliminated from cafeterias and school vending machines, while fried and pre-cooked foods will be limited.
It is hoped that the legislation could help to address childhood obesity, which disproportionately affects children from poorer backgrounds. It will also benefit the environment by increasing the proportion of plant-based foods consumed.
“It’s entirely feasible to bring healthier, more sustainable, plant-based menus to school cafeterias,” said Larco. “For years, ProVeg has been working with various institutions in the United Kingdom and Germany to implement the School Plates initiative. This initiative not only develops high-quality menus but also reduces their costs, demonstrating the countless benefits.”
