Free healthy school meals for all children!
European Commission, European Parliament, European Member States
Petition
We urge you to enforce healthy school meals and food education for every child in every EU school, as the minimum standard for the Commission’s vision on healthy food and for the enforcement of the European Child Guarantee.[1] Every child has the right to a balanced diet for a healthy development and to be able to concentrate in class. Healthy school meals are beneficial for both people and planet. Paired with food education, school children can learn to eat and cook healthily - while using food responsibly.
[1] https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/social-protection-social-inclusion/addressing-poverty-and-supporting-social-inclusion/investing-children/european-child-guarantee_en
Why is this important?
Over 90 million children in the EU are going back to school this week, and with a quarter of children in the EU at risk of poverty, malnourished kids in the classroom is a growing problem. [1]
What a child eats affects their health, wellbeing, and ability to concentrate at school. Poor children are more likely to eat unhealthy fast food or sugary diets that lack nutrition, making it harder for them to concentrate. [2]
A child eats half of its meals during schooltime, yet European schools don’t look after kids who are malnourished or teach them about healthy food.
There’s a simple solution: certain European countries, like Sweden, provide healthy and free school meals to all children, paid for from the public treasure chest. [3]
The EU made a commitment to healthy school meals for children in the European Child Guarantee. With multiple Commissioners from Youth, to Health and Animal Welfare working on policies related to school meals and food education, it is high time these policies are bundled for impact. [4]
A growing movement of people have already taken action and partners have asked our community to strengthen them. If we can reach at least 150.000 voices, the Commission will have to include our demand.
So add your voice to demand free and healthy school meals for all children too!
References:
[1] https://www.euronews.com/business/2023/09/04/school-meals-in-europe-which-countries-provide-free-food-for-students
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Children_at_risk_of_poverty_or_social_exclusion
[2] https://schoolfood4change.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/D2.2-Mapping-School-Food-System.pdf
[3] Public procurement of these school meals can furthermore support on a large scale climate resilient local,organic farmers. For more on this see: https://buybetterfood.eu/documents/sustainable-food-procurement-manifesto
[4] https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/social-protection-social-inclusion/addressing-poverty-and-supporting-social-inclusion/investing-children/european-child-guarantee_en
In partnership with:
