School Food Development

In Tartu County, school food is more than a meal service. We see it as part of children’s wellbeing, learning, energy levels and everyday food culture. Our work brings together food education, student-centred catering and wider use of local, including organic, ingredients in schools and kindergartens.

Why it matters

A tasty, balanced and varied school lunch supports children’s physical and mental wellbeing throughout the school day. It helps maintain steady energy levels, supports concentration and learning, and contributes to a healthier everyday school environment.

County-wide approach

School food development activites are carried out by the eight municipalities of Tartu County together with the Association of Municipalities of Tartu County and a cross-municipal working group on food education and catering in educational institutions. The work involves school leaders, teachers and other staff, catering providers, kitchen staff, students, parents and expert partners.

• Student-centred catering: we promote catering arrangements that take into account children’s and students’ needs, the eating environment and the wider school community.
• Food education: we support schools and kindergartens in making food literacy a more visible and systematic part of everyday learning
• Local and organic food: we work to improve the availability and wider use of local, including organic, ingredients in educational institutions across Tartu County.

Key commitments

Our county-wide work is guided by a shared action plan for 2025–2028 and a goodwill agreement signed by Tartu County municipalities in May 2025. Together, we are committed to developing food education systematically, making catering more child- and student-centred, and increasing the use of local and organic ingredients. By 2028, all municipally managed schools and kindergartens in Tartu County aim to use at least 20% organic ingredients in catering.

Knowledge, guidance and professional learning

Our work is supported by research, guidance materials and professional learning. Tartu County has mapped school catering arrangements and local supply needs, developed guidance materials for school leaders and parents, and built this work on input from seminars, practical development activities and cross-sector cooperation.

Development programme for schools

The development programme "Building Food Awareness in the School Community"  helps schools improve food education and catering in a practical, school-based way. The programme brings together teachers, students, parents, kitchen staff and school leadership, combines self-assessment, mentoring and action planning, and supports long-term change beyond the programme period. The pilot started in five schools in 2024/2025, and five more schools joined in 2025/2026. 

Read more about the development programme.