Desde el April 16, 2026, all public, charter, and private schools in Spain must serve school menus regulated by the Government, in compliance with the Royal Decree on food safety and nutrition published in the BOE a year earlier.
The regulation aims to promote a healthy and sustainable diet in educational centers, limiting red meats, processed foods, and sugary drinks, and prioritizing fresh fruits, vegetables, and water.
Main rules of the decree
- Fruits and vegetables: at least 45% of servings will be seasonal.
- Organic production: minimum 5% of the total food cost.
- Moderate animal proteins: meat (preferably poultry or rabbit), fish, eggs, and dairy in limited quantities.
- Vegetable proteins: between one and five weekly servings, with mandatory vegetarian menus.
Consumption frequencies
- First courses: 1-2 servings of vegetables or legumes per week, plus one of rice and one of pasta.
- Second courses:
- Fish: 1-3 servings weekly.
- Eggs: 1-2 servings.
- Meat: maximum 3 servings weekly (only 1 of red meat and up to 2 of processed meat per month).
- Side dishes: 3-4 servings of varied salad and 1-2 of potatoes, vegetables, or legumes.
Restrictions and culinary techniques
- Fried foods: maximum once a week.
- Pre-cooked foods: only once a month.
- Whole grain bread: at least twice a week.
- Whole grain rice or pasta: minimum four times a month.
- Whole nuts: prohibited for children under six years due to choking risk.
- Healthy cooking: oven, steam, boiled, grilled, and sautéed with tomato.
- Permitted oils: virgin or extra virgin olive oil for salads; olive or high oleic sunflower oil for cooking.
- Iodized salt: in reduced quantities, substituting with spices.
Desserts and drinks
- Fresh fruit: 4-5 times a week.
- Other desserts: yogurt, curd without added sugars, or fresh cheese, only once a week.
- Water: the only drink on the table, except for medical or cultural exceptions.
Inclusion and transparency
- Special menus: mandatory for students with allergies, intolerances, or certified medical conditions.
- Ethical or religious options: must be available.
- Information to families: each center will publish detailed monthly menus, with dish names, culinary techniques, side dishes, and allergens, specifying fruit varieties and types of dairy.
The new regulation turns school cafeterias into a public health and sustainability tool, aligned with the goals of reducing childhood obesity, promoting balanced eating habits, and encouraging organic production.
Spain thus joins the European trend of integrating healthy nutrition into education, ensuring that school meals are a pillar for the well-being of future generations.
