Ukraine has begun conducting unannounced inspections of school meals
The State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection has begun inspections of meal services at general secondary schools. The inspections are being conducted without prior notice to school administrations in order to assess how and what children are being fed.
In the context of the situation at one of the schools in Chernivtsi and in response to a question about how the quality of school meals is monitored in Ukraine, Sofienko noted: “Inspections by the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection have already begun. They conduct these inspections without notifying the schools in advance.”
The deputy minister reported that, according to the State Food and Consumer Service, most schools adhere to the menu and quality requirements for meal service. At the same time, there are isolated cases where the approved menu is not followed locally or other problems arise with meal service.
“Our goal is to provide these recommendations as quickly as possible so that our colleagues can implement them promptly,” the official emphasized.
She stressed that the inspections announced by the Prime Minister should serve not so much as a punitive measure but rather as a way to identify problems at an early stage and help communities correct them.
Sofienko noted that Ukraine does not have a single national school menu; it is approved at the local level. The menu, developed with the participation of chef and restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko, is advisory in nature, and the specific list of dishes can be approved directly by the school, the local community for its institutions, or the service provider if meals are organized through outsourcing or catering.
If a school or community develops the menu independently, it must be approved by the State Food and Consumer Service. However, the deputy minister clarified that such approval is not required for menus recommended by the Ministry of Health.
She emphasized that parents and students can initiate changes to the menu. “If you see that the children at school specifically do not like this menu or do not like certain individual dishes on it, you have the direct influence to bring this to the school’s attention and ask for changes,” Sofienko explained.
After changes are made, the school or community submits the updated menu for approval to the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, which has two days to approve it. At the same time, the school or community approves a seasonal four-week menu, which must meet the requirements for a balanced diet as defined by the regulations of the Ministry of Health, the official noted.
This was reported on television by Anastasia Sofienko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, according to a Ukrinform correspondent.
As a reminder, school lunches will be inspected throughout Ukraine.
On September 1, 2026, Ukraine launched the final phase of scaling up the state program for free hot meals, which was extended to all students in grades 1–11 (12) at public schools offering in-person and blended learning formats.
Schools in Chernivtsi will have their student meals inspected following the raw carrot scandal.
