Efforts within the European Union to promote healthier and more sustainable meals in schools and public institutions are once again drawing attention to a politically sensitive issue: the role of meat in public canteens, according to Euractiv.
As policymakers seek to reshape procurement rules to favour local and environmentally friendly produce, the debate over reducing meat consumption risks triggering a fresh wave of controversy.
The discussion is expected to surface during a meeting in Brussels where EU farm chief Christophe Hansen and European Commission Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné will bring together representatives from across the food supply chain. The gathering, known as the Food Dialogue, is intended to inform a broader overhaul of the EU’s public procurement framework scheduled for completion by the summer.
The Commission has been exploring ways to encourage public institutions to source food that is locally produced, organic and of higher quality. Hansen signalled last year that new incentives could be introduced to steer public authorities in that direction when purchasing food for schools, hospitals and other public facilities.
The idea follows earlier recommendations from the European Parliament, which in 2024 adopted a non-binding report calling for contracts in public catering to be assessed on more than just the lowest price. Lawmakers argued that procurement policies could play a role in shaping healthier and more environmentally sustainable diets.
Across Europe, initiatives aimed at improving the quality of meals served in public kitchens have often revolved around a similar approach: reducing the quantity of meat on menus. While advocates see this as beneficial for both health and environmental reasons, the proposal frequently encounters political resistance.
Local initiatives and changing habits
One example frequently cited by policymakers comes from Mouans-Sartoux, a small community near Cannes in southern France. The municipality, which has a population of around 11,000, introduced fully organic meals in its school canteens more than a decade ago. Since 2012, all food served in these kitchens has been sourced organically, with produce supplied directly by a local farm.
A key element of the programme has been its financial sustainability. Despite the higher price typically associated with organic food, the municipality avoided passing additional costs on to parents. By reducing food waste and lowering the proportion of meat served in school meals, local authorities were able to balance the increased expense of organic ingredients.
At the same time, educational initiatives were introduced, including cooking classes and workshops designed to promote better nutrition and reduce waste.
Over time the initiative has also influenced habits beyond the school environment. According to a study conducted by the French government, many families altered their diets as a result of the programme. More than a decade after its introduction, 87 per cent of parents reported changes in the way they eat, including consuming fewer processed foods and less meat while increasing their intake of vegetables and organic products. The experience of Mouans-Sartoux is expected to be presented during the Brussels meeting as an illustration of how sustainable public catering can function in practice.
Comparable experiments have been undertaken elsewhere in Europe. Denmark began implementing a national strategy in 2012 to expand the use of organic products in publicly funded kitchens. In Portugal, regulations introduced in 2017 require all public canteens to offer a vegetarian option each day.
Recent developments suggest that momentum behind such initiatives is increasing. In Slovenia a new project launched last month aims to raise the share of locally produced food used by public institutions to 30 per cent. Meanwhile Poland has introduced a rule obliging school canteens to serve at least one vegetarian meal each week. Authorities in Spain also announced last year that school lunches must include fruit and vegetables and provide vegetarian alternatives, part of a wider strategy to address rising obesity levels among children.
Political resistance over meat
Despite these efforts, reducing meat consumption remains the most contentious aspect of reforming public catering. Proponents argue that limiting meat can improve diets while helping institutions manage costs.
According to IFOAM Organics Europe, which represents the organic farming sector at EU level, improving food quality does not necessarily require additional spending. As the organisation’s senior policy officer Laura Sauques explained, “The solution is to reduce food waste and redesign menus with less meat.”
However, experiences in several countries illustrate how easily the issue can become politically charged. In France, legislation introduced in 2019 required school canteens to provide a vegetarian menu once a week. When lawmakers later debated a proposal to make plant-based options available every day, the national parliament rejected the idea in 2023.
Although the country’s health agency concluded that a balanced vegetarian meal served weekly can meet children’s nutritional needs, opponents raised concerns about potential nutrient deficiencies.
A similar controversy has recently emerged in Sweden. Rural affairs minister Peter Kullgren called for “putting an end to compulsory vegetarian lunches at school”, criticising what he said was the expansion of a policy originally intended for just one day per week. He argued that symbolic measures were being prioritised over children’s nutritional requirements and warned that iron intake could become a concern.
Critics from the agricultural sector have also voiced reservations. Benoît Cassart, who is both a livestock farmer and an MEP, suggested that restricting meat consumption raises questions about health and social fairness.
“Many children, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, only get animal protein at school,” Cassart said.
Industry representatives have likewise urged caution. Paolo Patruno, deputy secretary-general of the European meat processing association Clitravi, warned against turning the discussion into a polarised debate. In his view, the choices made in school kitchens influence dietary habits far beyond the classroom by shaping perceptions of what people should eat at home.
He argued that policymakers in Brussels should “avoid framing the message in a negative way” by excluding particular foods such as meat.
“Reopening a divisive debate will lead to nothing being achieved,” he said, suggesting instead that policymakers address “overconsumption of every kind of food”.
