(Kaindorf, Austria, February 9, 2026) — Fewer than 30% of schools and kindergartens can demonstrate they provide food suitable for children, despite widespread recognition of the importance of healthy options, according to a new study.
A new study reveals a significant gap between stated priorities for healthy school meals and actual availability, while one Austrian kitchen offers a potential model for improvement.
- A study by SIPCAN found less than 30% of educational facilities can prove their food is suitable for children.
- The Kaindorf fresh kitchen near Hartberg was awarded the Green Plate for its child-friendly, healthy meals.
- A new funding call for school projects focused on healthy eating is launching with the semester break.
According to a study by the preventive medicine institute SIPCAN, school heads rate “vegetarian offerings,” “regional and seasonal cuisine,” and “consideration of intolerances” as “important” at rates between 80 and 96 percent, but child-friendly, healthy food is not available in nearly 70% of facilities.
Kaindorf Offers a Model
The Kaindorf fresh kitchen, located near Hartberg, Austria, demonstrates a different approach. The kitchen provides approximately 70 children with freshly cooked, healthy meals daily, and prioritizes student input, according to project manager Doris Teubl. “What is also most important to us is that we talk to the children and ask: What are your favorite foods, what do you like to eat?” Teubl said. “Then they say, for example, in the classic way, they want schnitzel. They then find that in the menu. But they also find quinoa patties in it and the children are very willing to try that.”
For its efforts, Kaindorf was awarded the Green Plate by the Styria Vitalis association. Teubl emphasized that providing healthy food doesn’t necessarily increase costs. “Of course it costs something, but we were supplied before and it is no more expensive now than before,” she said.
Funding Available for School Projects
A study conducted by the Styrian Health Fund yielded similar results to the SIPCAN study. However, Lisa Bauer noted that progress has been made in recent years through school projects that receive funding. “I think we need to make our offerings even better known,” Bauer said. “We see that those who get support definitely have a positive development and we are working on making these support options better known so that even more schools can benefit from them.”
A new funding call for school projects on the topic of “healthy eating” will begin at the start of the semester break; project proposals are currently being sought, according to the Styrian Health Fund website.
Why It Matters
The findings highlight a critical disconnect between stated goals and practical implementation when it comes to children’s nutrition in schools. While educators recognize the importance of healthy eating, a significant majority of facilities are failing to provide it. The success of the Kaindorf kitchen, which prioritizes both nutritional value and student preferences, offers a potential blueprint for other schools seeking to improve their meal programs. The availability of new funding from the Styrian Health Fund provides an opportunity for more schools to implement similar initiatives and address this widespread issue.
