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WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT FREE SCHOOL MEALS
Primary school pupils in Russia receive free hot meals. Currently, 99.8% of primary pupils are covered. Meals must be of good quality and meet the applicable standard. In this article, we explain how parents can influence the quality of food in school canteens.
The essence of the law:
All primary pupils, from years 1 to 4, must receive hot meals at least once a day, including a hot dish and hot drink. Meals must be healthy, balanced and varied.
When will meals be available at your school?
From 1 September 2020, primary pupils began receiving free meals in schools ready to implement the measure. By 1 September 2023, all schools nationwide will provide them.
What parents need to do:
They must apply for free hot meals according to local regulations and the educational institution's internal rules.
Breakfast or lunch:
Pupils receive free hot meals according to their study schedule, under Rospotrebnadzor standards MR 2.4.0179-20.
What will children be served?
Food for children must be high-quality and safe. The law clearly specifies requirements for children’s food. Production must not use raw materials made with feed additives, growth stimulants, GMOs, pesticides, agrochemicals or other substances hazardous to health.
Menus publicly available:
Educational institutions will be required to publish information on school meals on their websites, including the daily menu.
The same dishes may not be repeated on the menu within one day or the following two days.
Parental oversight:
Parents may suggest changes to school menus and take part in meal-quality monitoring under the school’s local rules. You can rate your child’s hot meals or submit comments on Gosuslugi. Problems can be reported on the Ministry of Education website. Questions are answered on the hotline 8 800 200 91 85.