French School Lunch: Official Nutrition Guidelines Explained

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.

If you’re new here and want the full picture of how French school lunches actually work – from menus to culture to regulations – I wrote a complete guide here → French School Lunches: How They Work Today.

And if you’re curious about what happens behind the scenes – how the food is cooked, sourced, and prepared – this deep dive into the cantine kitchen will give you the full story → Inside A French School Cafeteria Kitchen.

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.

They also learn how to prevent food waste, a huge priority for the government, read more here → How France Will Eliminate Food Waste In School Cafeterias.

Moreover, school lunches include cultural norms beyond the food itself, read more here → 5 Reasons French School Lunches Are Important (And It’s Not The Food).

More From France

If you’re curious about how France nurtures healthier habits — from school lunches to everyday food, movement, and wellbeing — I share practical tips and stories each month. Sign up for the free newsletter below and receive my guide, The French Guide to Everyday Wellbeing, straight to your inbox. Merci!