Sylvie Avallone, head of the “Good examples” community of practice of the research consortium on health and nutrition at school and the French Resco network, Institut Agro Montpellier (testimonial from the dossier “INRAE for healthy and sustainable food in school catering” – 2025)
As a professor of food science and nutrition, I have focused my research on the nutrition of children in Global South countries. The closure of schools during COVID highlighted the importance of school catering in schoolchildren’s nutrition. With a strong public policy in place, France launched a global coalition in 2021 to encourage governments to reinvest in school meal programmes. To support the coalition, an international research consortium has been set up, bringing together 1,000 researchers from all over the world. A French network of around a hundred scientists has also been organised to help share knowledge. Case studies on food programmes in 45 countries are produced and we disseminate the best practices identified to provide guidance to governments in countries that sometimes have no programmes at all in this area. In this field, French research has been informing public decision-making for a long time. But while the French model inspires others, we can also learn from comparisons with others.
Testimonial from our thematic dossier
Thematic dossier
INRAE for healthy and sustainable food in school catering
In France, the challenges of school catering now go beyond simply providing a meal. In addition to the educational challenge of fostering healthy eating habits in future adults, there are public health, food safety and environmental issues to consider. The introduction of organic, quality and sustainable products in the canteen is now a priority. Nutritionists, sociologists, agronomists and economists from INRAE are helping to draw up, implement and evaluate public policies in this highly regulated sector.
