More than half a million children in Romania would receive, in 2026, food at school. The amount has increased to 16.5 lei/day/pupil, from which some town halls manage to bring them a hot meal, others a sandwich.
The Ministry of Education and Research announced that the “Healthy Meal” National Program will continue in 2026. The amount was increased to 1.531 billion lei (from 1.139 billion). This money allows the retention of beneficiary school units in 2025 plus the addition of students from district schools, as a result of the measures at the end of the summer, to those already beneficiaries. Purchases are made per calendar year, so during this period the town halls take steps to ensure the children from the schools in the program, as quickly as possible, the package. The value increased from 15 lei/day/student to 16.5 lei. Last year, with the allocated money, some town halls were able to purchase a hot meal, others only a sandwich.
Since the beginning of this year, 542,402 preschoolers and schoolchildren, from 1,427 school units, are on the list of beneficiaries.
Counties with 5,000 beneficiary students and others with over 20,000
Within the program there are counties with just over 20 beneficiary schools and others with almost 50, with regard to the number of beneficiaries the differences are even more relevant.
“This program aims to promote healthy eating habits among children and young people in schools in Romania, thus supporting their participation in education. PNMS aims to create motivation to study, maintain socio-emotional balance and strengthen students’ well-being, contributing to the reduction of long-term school dropout. The program achieves these goals by providing a nutritious and balanced meal in schools.” it is shown on the website of the Ministry of Education. One school out of three theoretically offers students a “healthy meal”, but the students’ chance does not seem to be the same regardless of the county.
The county with the fewest beneficiary students is Olt, which has 23 schools enrolled in the program, with 5,211 beneficiaries in total. It is followed by Brăila – 7,077 and Teleorman – 8,157. At the opposite pole, with the most beneficiaries, is Iasi – 48 schools enrolled in the program and 24,244 students, followed by Constanța – 22,773 students, Suceava – 19,351 students and Sibiu – 19,121 students.
“They learned with him. I will have a meeting with the parents to tell them that he was not suspended”
The school in Spineni, Olt county, has 72 children. It has been benefiting from the program that brings children a package before lunch since five years ago, being among the pilot schools. The mayor of the locality, Dănuț Šărpău, says that the school does not have a suitable space for serving the meal, so it was not possible to opt for a hot meal. Instead, the children are brought a sandwich each day from Scornicesti, which for most students means a lot. “On the first day he didn’t come and the children started: well, don’t you give us a day?”says the mayor. The parents were also concerned, so he scheduled a meeting to explain what was actually going on and that the program would continue, just that the purchase process was being redone.
“Having had this program for five years, I have seen the effect firsthand. The children come and ask, that they have learned with it. I will hold a meeting with the parents, to explain it to them, because many say – he gives it to us, he doesn’t give it to us anymore… There are 72 in the school, everyone eats it, there is nothing left. They deliver us packages, for a hot meal you need more equipment, and if it comes to bringing them into the casserole, well, the packaging costs a quarter of the money these”, declared the mayor, for “Adevărul”.
“They’ve gotten used to the idea that they deserve a meal”
Scărișoara School, also from Olt, is one of the large schools in the countryside. It has 432 students who benefit, for the third year in a row, from a meal at lunch. In their case, it’s really a hot meal. They get a soup and a second course during the big break, forgoing dessert to use the money to improve the two courses.
“Now I think it will be a while before I make the purchase. Last year, around March 1st, I think we started receiving. Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long this year. This is our third year. Differences, yes, I say they are visible. People have become accustomed to the idea that they are entitled to a meal. Know that in the beginning there were children who came to eat. Not many, but there were. Especially the little ones are more excited, from kindergarten and primary school. The big ones not so much. It’s really a hot meal, with a soup, with the second course. It would be perfect to make the food at our place, but we can’t. A restaurant from Caracal brings them to us and we serve them in class”, explained the director of Scarișoara Secondary School, Lăcrămioara Cule.
In the school from Scarișoara, many support projects have been implemented over the years, but of all, the hot meal showed its best effect. “Of all our projects, I think it’s the most relevant. After all, eating is a basic needProf. Cule also said.
The children from Scarișoara do not come from poor families, it’s just that the parents work in solariums, almost every day, and the fact that they know that the little ones ate for lunch is a great help. “They have possibilities, but they really have work. The food comes around 10.30 – 11.00, the children are already used to it. We have less and less dropouts, it has decreased year by year. The classes are getting fuller and more all measures contributed which we took”Lăcrămioara Cule also said.
At Bârza, a school also from Olt, with 182 children, sandwiches are also brought to the students. “There were some really good sandwiches. With steak, with chicken breast, with Prague ham, I mean it’s possible. Every day something else”stated the mayor of the locality, Ion Anuța. For 2026, a council decision will first have to be adopted, after which the procurement procedure will be started, the mayor added.
The Healthy Meal program also includes the school with probably the fewest students in Olt. At Topana, there are only 26 students who also receive a sandwich every day. The one on Thursday is the most awaited, children especially like it.
Sandwiches are also distributed at the school in Corbu, also one of the schools included in the program since the first wave. The town also accessed another project, in which the mayor’s office included vulnerable people of all age groups, so, the mayor says, from the moment those actions begin, the “Healthy Meal” program will be suspended, because they cannot benefit from double funding.
