I’ve spent years documenting French school lunches because they offer such an interesting window into French food culture, childhood, and everyday life.
Far beyond simply feeding children at midday, the French school lunch system reflects a broader philosophy around food: structure, balance, exposure to variety, and the normalization of eating real meals from a young age.
If you’re new here, you can read more in my cornerstone post on French school lunches.
Below is one week of menus from a local French elementary school in 2025. Follow along on Instagram for continuous footage of French school lunches.
Core Requirements for French School Lunches
Across France, all public elementary school menus include:
- at least 50% local and/or organic ingredients
- at least one fully vegetarian meal each week
- validation by a certified nutritionist
- meat origin labeling (all meats are French origin except lamb)
- clearly listed allergens
- icons showing whether dishes are homemade, organic, local, or vegetarian
A Real Week of French School Lunches (2025)
For a breakdown of the nutrition requirements, see → Nutritional Guidelines for French School Lunches.
Note: There is no school on Wednesdays in this district (common in France), so lunches are served Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
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Monday Menu
First course: Grated carrot salad (homemade)
Main course: Toulouse sausage
Vegetable: Polenta
Dairy: Fromage blanc (organic)
Dessert: Red fruit coulis
Tuesday Menu
Tuesday’s menu is showcased in the main photo.
First course: Potato salad (homemade)
Main course: Butter-parsley baked sea bream (homemade)
Vegetable: Broccoli, peas, and butternut squash
Dairy: Saint-Nectaire cheese (traditional production)
Dessert: Applesauce
Thursday Menu
This is the vegetarian meal of the week.
First course: Mixed diced vegetables
Main course: Italian-style vegetarian meatballs with Bolognese sauce (organic)
Dairy: Tomme noire cheese
Dessert: Oranges (organic)
Friday Menu
First course: Celery salad
Main course: Pork roast with mushrooms (homemade and local products)
Vegetable course: Mashed peas with bacon (homemade)
Dessert: Clementines (organic)
If you would like to read more about why French kids eat everything → How Toddlers Learn To Eat Everything at Daycare.
Explore French School Lunch Menus
I’ve documented real French school lunch menus from different years and seasons to show how the system evolves over time:
Regular menus
Christmas menus
More From France
If you’re curious about how France nurtures healthier habits — from school lunches to everyday food, movement, and wellbeing — I share practical tips and stories each month. Sign up for the free newsletter below and receive my guide, The French Guide to Everyday Wellbeing, straight to your inbox. Merci!
Working with a French school chef, I’ve created a downloadable guide featuring some of the everyday, best-loved recipes served in French school lunches → Explore the full guide
