Flemish government takes millions out for healthy meals at school, but schools have to decide whether they are participating

« Healthy food at school ensures better health, better learning performance, better education and more equal opportunities for all children, » says Gennez. « Every child that we help in this way is pure profit. » On its initiative, the Flemish Government is therefore allocating 23 million euros this year to offer healthy food at school. In the coming years, the sum will increase to 70 million euros per year.

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Local authorities can register on the system in consultation with the schools. For every 100 euros that Flanders invests, the intention is that the local authorities impose at least 75 euros. Converted around 170 euros per year per child. It is up to the schools to decide whether they will participate and what exactly they do with the money. That can go from fruit to a bowl of soup, a breakfast or even a hot meal. The only condition is that the offer consists of healthy, fiber -rich food.

Such initiatives are already running in cities such as Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven and Roeselare. It is the ambition of the Flemish Government to set it up elsewhere. « Schools can expand their existing range and schools without offering now get the chance and the means to start a program themselves, » says Gennez.

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Vooruit therefore went to voter with the promise of a « free healthy meal for every child in kindergarten and primary education ». It was an absolute breaking point for the party to join a Flemish government. That would cost around 260 million euros for all 720,000 students. Keeping that plan completely upset the party was therefore not successful. (AGY)