Strategy for reforming the school meals system for the period up to 2027 updated

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted Resolution No. 1216-r of 7 November 2025, “Certain issues regarding the implementation of the Strategy for Reforming the School Meals System for the Period until 2027.”

The document approves an operational plan of measures for 2025-2027 and introduces changes to the current Reform Strategy.

The Strategy has been updated to reflect the results of its implementation in 2023-2024 and new challenges caused by russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. The updated provisions define further steps for the development of the school meals system, aimed at improving its quality, efficiency and sustainability.

The main changes include:

• clarification of the objectives, strategic and operational goals, as well as the expected results of the reform;
• strengthening the strategic approach to the implementation of the reform at the regional and local levels;
• expanding the programme of free meals for schoolchildren;
• developing cooperation between educational institutions and local food producers and food service providers;
• strengthening international cooperation on the implementation of school meals reform in Ukraine and Ukraine’s active participation in international initiatives on the development of school nutrition.

Operational Plan for 2025-2027

The Operational Plan details the legal, organisational, institutional and investment steps necessary for the further implementation of the Strategy. Its implementation should ensure coordinated action by central and local authorities, educational institutions, communities and partners for the systematic implementation of the reform.

Expected results

The updated Strategy aims to create an effective system for providing students with high-quality and safe food, forming a culture of healthy eating habits among children and adults, modernising the material and technical base of school canteens, supporting local communities and developing small and medium-sized businesses.

The school meals reform, initiated by Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, continues so that children in Ukrainian schools have high-quality, healthy and tasty food, and a culture of healthy eating becomes a habit for every family.

The results are already noticeable: more than 1,600 food units have been renovated, 1.85 million children receive free hot meals, and more than 9,000 cooks have been trained in modern culinary hubs.