Adnkronos Rome, May 14 (Adnkronos) – School canteens are confirmed as a daily bastion of health and social justice. This is what emerges from the data of the Ecosistemi Foundation, scientific partner of the European project SchoolFood4Change (Sf4C) which analyzed the role of canteens in 12 countries and 19 European regions, with a particular focus on Italy and the cities of Rome, Milan and Nuoro.
According to this study, the adoption of seasonal ingredients in school canteens, as required by the Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM), can lead to significant reductions in CO2 emissions. For example, thanks to the application of the CAM, it is estimated that a city like Rome saves about 2 thousand tons of CO2 per year thanks to the use of seasonal products, while the adoption of organic foods allows a reduction of an additional 21 thousand tons.
School canteens, if well designed, can provide a healthy, balanced and sustainable meal every day, helping to combat chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders from childhood. In the Sf4C project, cities like Malmö (Sweden) demonstrate that high quality is possible: free meals for all, 89% of organic ingredients and a significantly reduced CO2 footprint thanks to the increase in plant-based dishes. Tallinn (Estonia) also offers a free hot meal for every student, fully covered by the State and Municipality. On the contrary, in countries like Belgium and Hungary, the canteen service is left to the discretion of individual schools, generating strong disparities in access and quality.
Italy stands out in Europe for the mandatory CAM in public catering - as for all public tenders - a unique regulation that makes minimum criteria of environmental sustainability and nutritional quality binding. These criteria establish, among other things, that at least 50% of fruit, vegetables, legumes and cereals served must be organic and seasonal. An obligation that has made the Italian model an international reference. For this reason, school canteens are an essential tool against food poverty, especially for children from low-income families, whose school meals may represent the only daily source of quality fruit, vegetables and proteins.
The Sf4C project, through the environmental and nutritional analysis of Italian canteens, has identified significant strengths: abundant and varied portions of seasonal fruit and vegetables, a good supply of carbohydrates and proteins. In this context, some Italian cities have built reference models, capable of combining nutritional excellence, reduced environmental impact and social accessibility. However, since school meals are managed at the municipal level, there is strong heterogeneity in organizational models, menu quality, access and sustainability.
The Capital, with over 145 thousand meals served per day, is one of the most significant cases at European level. The Municipality has introduced a completely plant-based 'green menu' once a month, in line with the Guidelines for school catering and with the Cam. According to the Ecosistemi Foundation, if Rome extended the plant-based menu to twice a month, it would lead to a reduction of 130 thousand tons of CO2 per year: approximately 4 kg of emissions avoided for each meal served. Not only that. Thanks to the systematic use of seasonal products, an annual saving of 2 thousand tons of CO2 is estimated, while the use of certified organic ingredients allows for the avoidance of another 21 thousand tons of climate-altering emissions. An environmental commitment that combines with an educational one: Roman schools are increasingly participating in educational courses on conscious nutrition, with workshops on biodiversity, food waste and the Mediterranean diet.
In the Lombardy capital, Milano Ristorazione, an in-house company of the Municipality, serves over 83 thousand meals every day, with a nutritionally balanced and environmentally sustainable offering. The menus are seasonal, with a high presence of organic and short supply chain products, and include daily vegetarian and vegan options, without the need for medical certification. Transparency is one of the strong points: the ingredients are traceable, the suppliers are selected according to environmental and social criteria, and families are involved in the monitoring. Adherence to the international Cool Food Pledge program has led Milan to reduce emissions related to school meals by 34% between 2015 and 2022, according to the World Resources Institute. In addition to the quality of the food, the service promotes sustainable lifestyles: reusable tableware, waste reduction, fight against plastic packaging.
Even in less urbanized areas like Nuoro, the canteen can become a driving force for the local agri-food chain and for the well-being of children. In Sardinia, the Municipality of Nuoro manages the preparation of meals in kitchens inside the nurseries, with distribution to primary schools. The menu is attentive to seasonality, includes typical PDO/PGI products, enhances the short supply chain and respects children's nutritional needs. From the data analyzed by SchoolFood4Change, a balanced offer emerges in terms of fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates, but with a higher meat intake than international recommendations. An excess that could be corrected with greater integration of vegetable proteins, without sacrificing taste or tradition. Here too, the canteen is not just food, but an educational and cultural tool, capable of reconnecting children to the territory and their food roots.
“School meals are not a luxury, but a fundamental right and a strategic investment,” emphasizes Sabina Nicolella, head of projects and international relations at Fondazione Ecosistemi. “They can reduce inequalities, improve public health, stimulate sustainable local economies and contribute to the ecological transition. Italy, with the experiences of Rome, Milan and Nuoro, demonstrates that an efficient, healthy and sustainable public system is possible. Now is the time to extend these good practices to the entire national and European territory. We need a binding European strategy that imposes minimum standards on quality, sustainability, access and transparency. Every child in Europe has the right to a meal that not only nourishes them, but respects them as a person and as a citizen of the planet.”