When my kids first started school in France, I remember being shocked by the lunch menus. Not because the French school lunch was unusual — but because they were so normal. Real food. Variety. Actual vegetables. Cheese chosen for calcium, not convenience. And always a balance between pleasure and health.
Over the years I learned that none of this happens by chance. French school lunches follow strict national nutritional guidelines — some of the most detailed in the world — designed to ensure children eat a varied, balanced, and delicious meal every day.
Here’s a closer look at what those guidelines include.
Basic French Nutritional Guidelines for School Lunches
- Every French school. lunch must include a main dish, side, dairy product, and a starter and/or dessert.
- Menus must rotate across at least 20 different meals.
- Portions must be adapted to age and dish type.
- Water must be available without restriction.
- Fresh bread must be available freely.
- Salt and sauces (mayonnaise, vinaigrette, ketchup) are limited and served only when appropriate to the meal.
These rules sit alongside the more recent requirement that 50% of ingredients must be organic and/or locally sourced.
Monthly Food Frequency Requirements
Based on a 20-meal rotation, schools must include:
- 10 meals with raw vegetables or fresh fruit
- 8 meals with fresh fruit as dessert
- 10 meals with cooked vegetables (excluding dry legumes)
- 10 meals with dry legumes or starches (rice, pasta, wheat, potatoes)
- 8 meals with cheese providing ≥150 mg calcium
- 4 meals with cheese providing ≥100 mg calcium
- 6 meals with dairy products low in fat (≤5 g) and high in calcium
- 4 meals with non-ground meat (beef, veal, lamb)
- 4 meals with fish or a fish-based dish with ≥70% fish
- Fewer than 4 meals with dishes containing <70% meat, fish, or eggs
- At most 4 main dishes with fatty foods (>15% fat)
- At most 3 desserts containing fatty ingredients
- No more than 4 fried or pre-fried dishes
- At most 2 main dishes with as much fat as protein
- No more than 4 sugary desserts with ≥15% fat
This level of detail ensures children get enough fiber, vitamins, minerals, and quality protein — and not too much sugar, fat, or processed foods.
Cultural Norms Behind These Guidelines
Even within these regulations, French food culture shines through:
- Bread, cheese, and dairy remain central.
- Moderation is built in — sweet or fried foods are allowed, just not often.
- Variety is a priority: no elementary school meal is repeated within the same month.
This variety is one reason French children are exposed to so many flavors early — and why they often learn to eat (or at least try) almost anything.
Want More About French School Lunches?
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This post is updated regularly to keep the information fresh and accurate.
