Free School Meals for 3 Million Ukrainian Pupils by 2026 in Major Program Expansion

Free Hot Meals for Schoolchildren

According to Кабмін: The Ukrainian government is significantly expanding its program to provide free hot meals in schools. Currently, over 2 million children already receive these lunches. Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko announced that starting in September 2026, the initiative will be extended to cover approximately 3 million pupils nationwide. This expansion is part of a five-year national policy on school nutrition reform, which the Prime Minister acknowledged has been championed by First Lady Olena Zelenska.

Modernizing Kitchens and Training Chefs

A budget of 1 billion UAH has been allocated for the further modernization of school kitchens. As part of this effort, community kitchen factories are being established in the Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Lviv, and Sumy regions. Furthermore, modern culinary hubs are being set up within vocational education institutions to train and upskill chefs for the program.

• Nearly 9,500 chefs have already completed training and improved their qualifications.
• More than 3,000 of them were trained in the past year alone.

Prime Minister Svyrydenko emphasized the importance of well-organized school meal services at the community level, stating that

“this is a full-fledged business process, which actively involves the private sector.”

Therefore, the free hot lunch program not only improves children's nutrition but also stimulates local economic development. This initiative is a crucial step in ensuring quality food for children, which can positively impact their health and academic performance. The program's growth reflects the government's increasing focus on social welfare, particularly amid ongoing economic challenges. Engaging the private sector in school meal provision can create new business opportunities in the regions, thereby contributing to the well-being of local communities.