French school canteens to go vegetarian once a week

Menus at schools across France will soon feature one meat-free daily menu every week.

As reported, from November, school canteens across France will provide one vegetarian menu a week as a matter of routine. Officials are keen to reassure parents that the meals will remain balanced and nutritious, with meat proteins replaced by those found in vegetables and pulses.

Read more: A vegetarian life in France

According to a report from the regional food safety agency, children eat between two and four times too much meat, news website franceinfo reported.

In Rouen, meat-free meals have been available daily since the start of the school year on September 2 following a trial in April.

Officials told www.tendanceouest.com that the greatest resistance to the change came from parents, rather than children - who were, on the whole, happy to eat meat-free chili con carne. According to the website, 40% of pupils in schools in the city have signed-up for the new menus.

Read more: Cut out meat and fish once a week, say French stars