Plant-based meals will be guaranteed in Polish schools
Students will have access to vegan food after the Ministry of Health finalizes legislation.
For the first time, students across the Polish education system will have guaranteed access to plant-based meals.
The country's Ministry of Health has signed and finalised the legislation that mandates schools to offer at least one plant-based meal per week as a default and plant-derived alternatives to meat and dairy outside of that.
The regulation, from February this year, will come into effect on 1 September 2026 and will have an impact on nearly 7 million students across the country.
"Introducing wholesome plant-based meals in schools is much more than just taking care of your health," said Patrycja Homa, president of the ProVeg Foundation. "It is also an investment in education that teaches children to make informed and responsible food choices that are beneficial to both themselves and the planet.”
Traditionally, a Polish lunch would feature soup followed by a meat-based dish. On Fridays, fish or pierogi would be served instead. With the new regulations, legumes will play a big role in the menu, as school canteens are encouraged to use these as an alternative to meat. In a health-forward endeavour, the number of fried foods served every week will be limited to two, while the amount of salt, fat and sugars will also be restricted. Furthermore, school canteens will be encouraged to use vegetable broth rather than meat-based options for the traditional soups that are served in canteens most days.
This legislation follows a campaign by the Safe Food Federation and campaigning pressure group Green REV Institute, as well as local experts and organisations in Poland. Parents and young people in the country have also joined the movement, proving its popularity. The Green REV Institute has previously conducted research showing that nearly 80% of meals served in schools in the Masovian province are meat-based, while only 2.5% of schools in the province offer plant-based meals. Less than 1% of schools in the area serve a fully vegan diet.
“This is the beginning of further action,” says Morgan Janowicz of the Safe Food Federation. “We are putting education at the centre of change driven by health, concern for the climate, the natural environment, human rights and animal rights. This regulation is a milestone in building the food literacy of young Poles.”
Research as recent as last year has shown that well-planned plant-based diets can be fully safe and healthy for children and young people. Offering more fiber and certain vitamins than omnivorous diets, a plant-forward way of eating can also be an effective way to protect against heart disease - but parents need to steer clear of common pitfalls and plan for obtaining crucial nutrients such as calcium and vitamin B12, both of which are available either through supplementation or fortified foods. A plant-based diet for children can also lower the risk of obesity and certain chronic diseases, as well as offer gut-health benefits.
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