Starting September 1, Belarusian schools will not only change the age groups and free meal standards, but also begin a thorough overhaul of their meals. The top priority is to make school lunches tasty so that children enjoy their portions.

Particular attention is being paid to supporting domestic producers.

"In addition to the Council of Ministers' resolution, extensive joint work has been carried out with local authorities to introduce semi-finished products from Belarusian companies. New process charts are being developed based on students' taste preferences. This menu update process is ongoing and continuous," Deputy Minister of Education Vladimir Dolzhenkov emphasized today in a conversation with journalists.

Furthermore, starting September 1, meal allowances in all educational institutions will increase by 5%, and from January 1, 2027, they will be automatically recalculated based on consumer prices for food, guaranteeing a consistent quality of meals.

School cafeterias are updating their healthy food selections. They are also planning to sell these through vending machines.

For reference:

Currently, over 70% of schoolchildren receive hot meals funded by the state budget. This is an integral part of social support and health care for the younger generation.

Hot meals are provided to more than 1,025,000 students in general secondary education institutions in Belarus.

Free meals are provided to:

* all students in grades 1-4;

* students in grades 5-11 living and studying in rural schools;

* children from privileged categories (large and low-income families, children with disabilities, students in sports classes, etc.) – on one confirmed basis.

Healthy nutrition and adequate provision today are a successful future tomorrow!

Caring for children is a constant priority of Belarusian state policy.