Schools in A Coruña must adapt, starting April 16th, to the Royal Decree approved by the Spanish Government last year regarding the mandatory inclusion of healthy menus in schools. Some of the changes established by the regulations—which implement the Food Safety and Nutrition Law—include the obligation to offer between three and four weekly servings of vegetables—in salads or as a side dish—; water as the only beverage; whole-grain products; and healthier cooking techniques.

The obligations established in Royal Decree 315/2025 are:

• Maximum 3 servings of meat per week.
• Maximum 1 serving of red meat per week.
• Maximum 2 servings of processed meat per month.
• Between 1 and 3 servings of fish per week.
• Between 1 and 5 servings of plant-based protein as a main course.
• Pasta: Once a week.
• Rice: Once a week.
• Wholegrain rice or pasta at least 4 times a month.
• Fresh fruit: 4 to 5 days a week.
• Plain, unsweetened yogurt: a maximum of 1 time per week.
• A maximum of 1 fried food item per week.
• A maximum of 1 ready-made meal per month.
• Water as the only beverage.
• Wholegrain bread at least 2 times a week.
• Healthier cooking techniques such as baking, steaming, boiling, grilling, or traditional stews will be prioritized, limiting fried foods to a maximum of once a week.

"Schools must be places of nutritional education. Therefore, school cafeteria menus must be regulated and monitored," explains Dr. Rosaura Leis, a specialist in Pediatric Nutrition and a member of the board of the Official College of Physicians of A Coruña. She advocates for adapting the decree's recommendations to the traditional diets of each region. Leis, who is also a researcher and professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), sees this regulation as an opportunity to eliminate nutritional inequalities among children based on their socioeconomic status: "The highest prevalence of obesity is found in the lowest socioeconomic levels. Having a good menu is about achieving nutritional equity; providing children with the right foods so they can meet nutritional recommendations."