Note: This article reflects French school lunches during the 2022–2023 school year.
In 2014, I wrote my first article on French school lunches for MindBodyGreen. I never imagined that millions of people would eventually read and share it — or that this topic would shape the direction of my writing and research for years.
For four years after that first publication, I visited school cafeterias across France and interviewed dozens of chefs, mayors, kitchen staff, parents, students, and elected officials. Some were directly involved in producing French school lunches; others simply had a lot to say about them.
Since that time, French school lunches have changed enormously. They’ve gone from healthy to even healthier. Driven by demanding parents, updated agricultural policies, and greater access to organic produce, the quality of school lunches has improved significantly in recent years. I wrote more about this in my e-book, French School Lunch: Why Delicious and Nutritious Cafeteria Food Is a National Priority in France.
So what do French school lunches in public elementary schools look like in the 2022–2023 school year?
Let’s start with what hasn’t changed.
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.
A Sit-Down Meal and Time to Move
As I wrote in my original article, French school lunches take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. This two-hour window includes about 40 minutes of a sit-down, multi-course meal, followed by outdoor recess.
Children either eat the set menu in the cafeteria or go home for lunch. Aside from food allergies or medical conditions, children do not bring packed lunches.
When children arrive in the cafeteria, they sit at tables already set with silverware, plates, glasses, napkins, a water pitcher, and a bread basket. At our local school, tables are set in groups of four. Older student volunteers bring the first course, then return with the main course platter so the children can serve themselves. A cheese course usually follows, and then dessert.
Only one child per table is permitted to stand during the meal to refill water or bread. Everyone else remains seated until lunch ends and recess begins.
If you want to see an example of everyday menu → French School Lunch Menu.
How Kitchen Staff Prepare French School Lunches
Menus are planned two months in advance by cafeteria management and then adjusted by a certified dietitian. A dessert might be swapped (for example, replacing a chocolate éclair with a kiwi) or the balance of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates may be fine-tuned.
Most foods are made in-house. Salads, soups, mashed potatoes, many desserts, and nearly all main dishes are prepared from scratch. About 60% of French elementary schools have an on-site kitchen or a satellite kitchen serving several schools. The remaining 40% outsource meals to food service providers, who must follow the same national nutritional standards.
At our local school, the chef and two assistants arrive around 7:00 am to begin preparing lunch. They also receive daily deliveries — including fresh bread from the bakery down the street.
So What Has Changed Since 2014?
The biggest shifts since 2014 involve food quality, sustainability, and environmental policy.
Organic and Local Foods
The French government requires school cafeterias to serve at least 50% local and organic food. This rule was phased in during 2020–2021 and is now fully implemented nationwide.
Today, more than 80% of elementary schools serve some organic foods. A few districts — like Paris’ 2nd arrondissement and Mouans-Sartoux in Provence — serve nearly 100% organic meals.
This represents a major victory for both public health and local farmers.
Vegetarian Meals
French cafeterias are now required to serve at least one fully vegetarian meal per week. Many cities — Bordeaux, Marseille, Strasbourg, Paris — had already introduced vegetarian options years earlier.
Some districts offer two vegetarian or vegan meals per week. Lyon briefly shifted to fully vegetarian menus during the pandemic, sparking heated national debate.
Reducing Food Waste
Food waste is a major part of France’s sustainability agenda. On average, each person wastes about 167 grams of food per meal in public restaurants (including school cafeterias) — roughly one-third of each meal.
Schools must now measure their food waste and publish action plans to reduce it. Many also educate children on food waste and implement creative solutions. In our local school, for example, food scraps go to nearby farm animals.
For more details on food waste, read → How France Is Working To Eliminate Food Waste In School Cafeterias.
The Plastics Ban
France banned plastic bags in supermarkets in 2017 and extended the ban to single-use plastic cutlery, plates, cups, and straws in public restaurants in 2020.
For field trips, children now bring reusable water bottles rather than disposable ones.
What’s Next for French School Lunches?
To outsiders, French school lunches often seem like the healthiest and most delicious in the world. But within France, parents, city councils, school associations, and nutrition professionals remain critical — which is one reason the standard continues to rise.
Advocates are pushing for:
- more school gardens
- more nutrition and sustainability education
- even higher quality ingredients
- and eventually, 100% organic, local foods
The conversation is far from over — and school lunches will continue to evolve.
School lunch isn’t just about food; it touches wellbeing, health, social issues, farming, the environment, education, and parenting. What our children eat at school matters, no matter where we live.
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!
