EXPERIENCES

Canteens in primary schools (3-12 years old) are managed directly by the municipalities. In some municipalities there are municipal kitchens and in others the centres have on-site kitchens. In all cases, the staff is municipal and is divided into three types: cooks, canteen monitors and post-meal free time educators. Families pay around 5€ per menu, or less, depending on their income.

An employee of the municipality is responsible for coordination between the school and the municipality, and uses external experts when required (dietitians, among others). The canteen committee is made up of staff, parents and management.

Secondary schools (junior cycle, 12-16 years old) are managed by the departments (provinces). In senior cycle secondary schools (16-18 years old) the management of the canteen remains in the hands of the region.

Canteen management in Angelu

The municipality of Angelu manages 14 schools and two leisure centres. All of them have a kitchen, either in the building itself or in a nearby one. Sogeres is the company in charge of the supply of food, as it was the winning company in the public competition to which a total of 3 companies were submitted.

The company has to meet the conditions required by the council, so that 50% of the fish is fresh, and 70% of vegetables and 100% of dairy is organic. Since October a French law dictates that in the public purchase of food 20% of products must be organic and 50% local products or quality (labelled accordingly). In the New Aquitaine region, 20% of the products in community canteens must be organic.

Families pay fees ranging from 0.50 cents to 4.5€.

The pedagogical aspect is very important, for this reason, they take care of the ergonomics of the spaces, boys and girls of different ages share a table, and the older students help the younger ones to cut the food.

The Donibane Garazi Institute

The Lycée Navarre is a pioneer in sustainable canteen management.

It is a member of the Acena association, which brings together different institutions and schools to make joint food purchases. The collective catering that forms part of this association offers 57 million menus a year. The association brings together 328 schools, 203 high schools and 31 agricultural high schools. They divide purchases into 20 groups and get good prices, as well as influencing the purchases of large companies.

In order for community canteens to promote the use of local products, it is essential to know the local production, as well as the production capacity and the number of times each producer can provide services. In addition, meetings are held with producers when preparing tenders, to explain how they have to present themselves.

Great importance is attached to the pedagogical field. They lead the students to get to know the producers, to sow and to harvest the fruit. The producers also visit the schools and the students have the opportunity to ask them questions. To understand the impact of climate change on the Pyreneese glaciers with experts. On the other hand, the cooks receive training to learn how to work with fresh products.

In The North Basque Country, the price is only 30% of the weight in a tender and this makes it possible for local farmers, ranchers and artisan producers to introduce their products in the collective catering.

Source: https://www.gureplateragureaukera.eus/es/iparraldeko-eskola-jantokiak-bisita-baten-kronika/