Zelenska aims to provide free meals to over three million students amid WFP’s visit to Ukraine

In Kyiv, Ukraine, the country’s First Lady Olena Zelenska met with the executive director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain, to discuss continued support for the implementation of Ukraine’s school nutrition reform.

According to Zelenska, 16 culinary hubs are already operating in Ukraine, and ten more are currently under development. Additionally, the state is allocating subsidies to renovate and construct catering facilities.

“Thank you for your courage and for not being afraid to come to Ukraine during such a difficult time for us, as Russia continues to carry out increasingly vile and brutal attacks,” says Zelenska.

She highlights the support that the late US Senator John McCain and his wife, former US ambassador to the UN agencies for food and agriculture, Cindy McCain, had contributed to helping Ukrainians.

“We are grateful for the assistance that continues to be provided to Ukraine through the UN WFP, particularly for internally displaced persons and the elderly. We are also grateful for supporting small Ukrainian manufacturers in the context of their ability to participate in UN tenders,” says Zelenska.

“We already provide free hot meals to more than 1.5 million children every day. Our goal is to provide free meals to more than three million students daily in all regions of the country by 2027.”

“We are also running an information campaign — teaching children to make conscious choices in favor of healthy habits. This influences entire families, and we hope it will gradually change the consumption culture across the country,” she urges.

Zelenska also emphasizes that it is important for Ukraine to remain part of the School Meals Coalition and expresses hope for continued cooperation with the UN WFP.

Last month, she attended three Ukrainian educational sites where kitchen facilities were modernized using state subsidies. The government reveals that 270 kitchen facilities have been upgraded and two culinary hubs have been established since 2020.

Global focus on elevating school meals

Nearly half of the world’s primary school children now receive school meals, but a UNESCO report warns that food quality remains a critical gap. The agency is urging governments to prioritize fresh, minimally processed ingredients and integrate food education into curricula as childhood obesity rises and food insecurity worsens.

In step with this target, Spain is mandating that all schools serve five healthy meals weekly, regardless of income level, and bar junk food sales on campus. Minister Pablo Bustinduy’s recent royal decree aims to ensure this while prioritizing local produce under heavy US tariffs.

Last month, Jamaica took steps to ensure healthy school diets under the National School Nutrition Policy, which will be implemented in all early childhood, primary, secondary, and special education schools. It limits the sale and marketing of sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods in schools and mandates nutrition education.

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