Spain mandates nutritious school meals under new law tackling obesity

Spain is mandating that all schools serve five healthy meals weekly, regardless of income level, and barring junk food sales on campus. Minister Pablo Bustinduy’s royal decree, approved by the Council of Ministers, aims to ensure equal access to healthy food and develop healthy nutritional habits for children while prioritizing local produce under heavy US tariffs. 

The law requires schools to ensure daily consumption of fruits and vegetables and offer more fish and legumes. It bans sugary drinks, including energy drinks and pastries, while limiting pre-cooked and fried foods.

Instead, the decree promotes the consumption of sustainable and seasonal foods next to local agriculture and livestock production. It seeks to ensure a varied, nutritious diet for all children based on the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) and WHO’s health recommendations.

The Ministry of Social Affairs says the Council of Ministers approved a budget of €200 million (~US$227.5 million) to be distributed to family protection programs addressing child poverty.

Equal nutrition for children 

Bustinduy believes that school cafeterias are tools for lowering inequality and ensuring children’s right to quality food while shaping lifelong healthy nutritional habits.

At least 45% of fruits and vegetables must be seasonal, supporting local farmers while improving child nutrition.He flags that those who cannot afford healthier food options develop health issues. A study reveals that nearly half of children aged six to nine (46.7%) from families earning less than €18,000 (~US$20,500) annually are overweight.

Bustinduy urges that 45% of the fruit and vegetables served at school must be seasonal because this will help Spanish farmers and ranchers hit by difficult economic headwinds due to the US tariff war.

He says the proposal has brought benefits through initiatives across the country, such as the Ecocomedores project in the Canary Islands and the Horta Cuina project in the Valencian Community.

The law applies to public, state-subsidized, and private schools that provide early childhood education, primary education, special education, compulsory secondary education, baccalaureate, or basic or intermediate vocational training courses.

Diet rules and specifics

According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs research, fish is never served in 1,200 school cafeterias in Spain (2021–2025). However, the new rule mandates serving one to three servings of fish per week while increasing the consumption of whole grains and legumes.

The Ministry of Social Affairs cites data from “autonomous communities” showing that 14% of schools fail to provide legumes at least once a week.

Meanwhile, it mandates that schools serve at least one serving of brown rice or pasta with several servings of whole-wheat bread weekly.

Sugary drinks are banned, including in vending machines. Sugary foods with 5 g per packaged portion that don’t meet WHO criteria for fat and salt will also not be sold. 

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ research finds that nearly 70% of school vending machines meet the recommended nutritional criteria, while cafeterias fall short at 74%.

Spain will require all schools to serve five healthy meals a week, ban sugary drinks, and limit fried or pre-cooked foods.Pre-cooked dishes, such as pizzas, empanadas, or fried foods, will only be served once per month. Fried foods cooked on the same day (not pre-cooked) can be served only once weekly, with the recommendation of using olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil.

Healthier school meals

In its latest report, UNESCO urges healthier school meals focused on fresh and local ingredients to combat childhood obesity. Nutrition Insight spoke to the humanitarian organization about obstacles, real action, ultra-processed foods, and lessons from success stories across the globe.

Experts in Aotearoa, New Zealand, recently critiqued that local government-funded school lunches are falling short on nutrition and quality standards. They urge transparency in meal content, increased energy content, and urgent review of compliance with nutrition standards across all contractual obligations.

Mexico recently banned school junk food to tackle the obesity crisis and instead promotes healthy alternatives, such as regional and seasonal plants without added sugar or salt.