Lisbon City Council (CML) announced in an email sent on Tuesday to parents that starting January 1, 2026, the vegetarian meal option will no longer be visible on the booking board.
The communication specifies that the vegetarian option “cannot be provided sporadically or occasionally and will be reserved exclusively for cases following a continuous and structured vegetarian diet.”
“If the child/student follows a permanent vegetarian diet, a formal request must be submitted to the school coordination, stating the student’s name, the educational institution, and the year of attendance. After validation by CML, a ‘dietary restriction’ designation will be granted, and a vegetarian dish will be provided daily,” the email states.
In response to this information, parents have launched a petition for the continuation of free vegetarian meal bookings in Lisbon public schools, arguing that the council’s decision “is unacceptable and represents a setback in sustainability, freedom of choice, and food education policies.”
The petition argues, “Limiting access to vegetarian meals only to those who ‘formally commit to a permanent diet’ constitutes dietary discrimination, contrary to the spirit of Law n.º 11/2017, which aims to guarantee the right to a vegetarian option in public canteens without impositions or administrative barriers.” The petition, as of 6:00 PM today, has gathered over 1,200 signatures.
Petitioners note that many parents and students choose vegetarian meals for health, environmental, ethical, or personal preference reasons, and thus “it is unacceptable for CML to hinder access to this choice.”
The petition seeks to urge CML to revoke the decision to remove the vegetarian option from the booking board starting in 2026; maintain free and accessible vegetarian meal booking for all students without requiring justification or proof of family dietary practices; promote truly sustainable and inclusive food policies in alignment with the values it claims to support; and ensure that no child or family is discriminated against for their dietary choices.
“Schools should be spaces of inclusion, learning, and example – including respect for dietary choices that reflect values of health, environment, and empathy. We call on CML to reconsider this decision and maintain an open, coherent, and progressive food policy,” reiterate the petitioners.
In response to Lusa agency, the office of Education Councilor Sofia Athayde (CDS-PP) stated, “It is not true that the free choice of vegetarian meals is ending,” explaining that the matter is a “clarification of rules that already existed,” keeping the vegetarian option available for those who prefer it.
The clarification, according to the Education Councilor, aims to “strongly reduce food waste caused by the unpredictability of the number of meals to be prepared each day.”
“Vegetarian options remain available, but their allocation will follow clearer criteria, ensuring that all those who need or opt for this vegetarian option have effective access to these meals,” added Sofia Athayde’s office.
