For many of us, it's a childhood trauma. Often back then, the school cafeteria came down to cold beans, breaded fish straight out of a cardboard box and mayo-drenched piedmont salad. A trauma that unfortunately extends to many parents, sometimes due to their inability to afford the costs for their children. A catastrophic situation, in response to which the Mayor of Paris decided to take action.
Thousands of families benefit
Every day, over 100,000 children have lunch in the capital's primary schools. And for 17,000 of them, since Tuesday, September 1st, 2026, meals are now free. Indeed, Paris City Hall has decided to provide full coverage of meals (lunch and snack) for children from the most disadvantaged families.
your favorites. A program that concerns the two lowest family income brackets, representing no less than 2.5 million meals per year, and an additional cost of 1.2 million euros for the city. Combined with genuine work on organic produce and local sourcing, this new offering allows children from families facing financial hardship to enjoy balanced, quality meals.À Paris, près d’un enfant sur cinq ne mange pas chaque jour à sa faim car sa famille n’en a pas toujours les moyens.
— Emmanuel Grégoire (@egregoire) September 1, 2026
J’ai donc décidé d’une mesure radicale pour les protéger et leur permettre de disposer d’une alimentation de qualité : à partir de cette rentrée, la cantine est… pic.twitter.com/QQE5rlxzRV
A promise for everyone
For other families, where the cost of one meal per day per child can reach up to €7 (for €13 of actual value), the Mayor of Paris has decided to take action as well, announcing a price freeze until the end of his term in 2032. Excellent news that could, however, come at a cost to the city, since while meal prices won't increase, those of raw materials and energy probably won't stay fixed. A measure that the mayor is nonetheless 100% behind, emphasizing the importance of healthy, balanced and organic food, no matter the cost. The question remains whether he's bitten off more than he can chew…
>Les cantines scolaires parisiennes seront gratuites à partir de la rentrée de septembre pour les familles les plus modestes dans les écoles et les collèges publics, soit pour plus de 17.000 enfants, a annoncé vendredi le maire de Paris Emmanuel Grégoire. pic.twitter.com/KUHMOBBDWm
— Brut FR (@brutofficiel) June 5, 2026