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 habit of sitting down to eat a proper meal from a young age.
One of the things that stands out when looking back at older menus like this one is how familiar the overall structure still feels. Even years later, the rhythm remains remarkably consistent: a starter, main course, vegetables or another accompaniment, dairy, and sometimes dessert.
Below is one week of actual menus from a French elementary school during the 2022–2023 school year.
For a complete overview of how French school lunches work today, start with → French School Lunches: How They Work Today.
A Week of French School Lunches in 2022
Monday Menu
First course: Grated carrot salad (organic)
Main course: Boeuf bourguignon (local meat)
Vegetable: Cauliflower gratin (organic)
Dairy: Chocolate yogurt
Monday’s menu reflects the kind of hearty, traditional lunch that still appears in French school cafeterias — a slow-cooked meat dish, vegetables, and dairy, all served as part of a structured meal.
Tuesday Menu
First course: Sliced dry-cured pork sausage (saucisson sec)
Main course: Cod and mashed potato casserole
Dairy: Comté cheese (organic and local)
Dessert: Grapes (organic)
This is a good example of how traditional French foods, including charcuterie and regional cheeses, can appear on school menus alongside fish and fruit.
Wednesday Menu
First course: Green salad (organic)
Main course: Tartiflette — a traditional Alpine dish made with potatoes, cheese, bacon and onions (local)
Dessert: Fruit (organic)
Tartiflette is a dish I know particularly well, living in the French Alps. It’s hearty, comforting and very much part of the regional food culture.
And yes, dishes like this really do appear on French school lunch menus!
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Thursday Menu
This was the vegetarian meal of the week.
First course: Lentil salad (organic)
Main course: Vegetarian pancakes
Vegetable: Sweet potato mash
Dairy: Kiri cheese
Dessert: Kiwis (organic)
Vegetarian meals were already part of French school lunch planning in 2022. In fact, public and private school cafeterias have been required to offer at least one vegetarian menu per week since 2019.
This lunch includes lentils, sweet potatoes, cheese and fruit — a good illustration of how plant-based foods fit into the school meal structure.
For a closer look at the national requirements, read → French School Lunch: Official Nutrition Guidelines Explained.
Friday Menu
First course: Cucumber salad (organic)
Main course: Couscous merguez — couscous grains served with vegetables and spiced sausages
Dairy: Goat’s cheese
Dessert: Fruit compote (organic)
I love how a single week of school lunches can include everything from boeuf bourguignon and tartiflette to couscous.
It’s a reminder that French school food isn’t limited to a narrow collection of traditional French dishes. Menus also reflect the different culinary influences that have become part of everyday life in France.
What This French School Lunch Menu Tells Us
Looking back at this menu several years later, what strikes me most is how much variety children encounter over just five lunches.
There are familiar vegetables, different cheeses, fish, meat, a vegetarian meal and dishes drawn from both regional French cooking and other culinary traditions.
Of course, not every French school serves exactly the same meals. Menus vary by municipality, region, season and kitchen.
But the underlying idea is remarkably consistent: school lunch is a proper meal, and children are regularly introduced to different foods.
That’s one of the reasons I’ve continued documenting French school lunches over the years.
Explore More French School Lunch Menus
I’ve documented real French school lunch menus from different years and seasons so you can see how the meals compare.
Regular Menus
Christmas Menus
More From France
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