Illustrative photo of a school canteen in Lyon.

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Elisa Frisullo / 20 Minutes

Almost two months after the heated controversy over the use of a single meatless menu in Lyon school canteens, the ecologist town hall of Lyon indicates an evolution of the situation on Tuesday.

Meat would indeed be partially reintroduced into schools from April 26.

"We still have no visibility on what the health protocol will be at the start of the school year," said Education Assistant Stéphanie Léger during a press videoconference.

But this time, we have had time to work on a proposal for a hot dish with meat that will be made on a regular basis, every five meals on average.

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This meat menu will not include an entry in order to save the time necessary to feed all the children, specifies the elected official, who explains that the use of a single menu, after the February holidays, had made it possible to free up ten minutes per service and provide one more in some establishments.

This solution had been adopted in the face of a new health protocol imposing two meters of separation in the canteen between class groups, which prevented as many children from eating at the same time as usual.

A vegetarian "ideology" pointed out to the government

The town hall had considered that a single menu without meat, but including eggs or fish, was "the least excluding" for the students, given their eating, taste or religious habits which already lead half of them, in normal times. , to separate the meat.

At the same time, it had extended the time slot for meals and used other catering facilities, such as gymnasiums.

The local opposition, relayed by members of the government including Gerald Darmanin, then accused the environmental executive of wanting to impose a vegetarian “ideology”.

Farmers also expressed their dissatisfaction in front of Lyon City Hall on February 22.

27,000 meals prepared 48 hours in advance

Mayor Grégory Doucet (EELV) has since received representatives of the sector to present them with the new specifications for school catering, the market for which will be renewed in 2022. According to Gautier Chapuis, elected delegate for local food, the municipality kept its commitment to reintroduce meat in menus, "by making lace and calculating the minutes to serve food to children".

Asked about a return to normal, that is to say the choice of a meat menu every day, he replied that he could not give a calendar, for lack of knowing the health protocols to come from here at the end of the school year or at the start of the September.

The 27,000 daily meals served in Lyon's canteens are provided by a central kitchen currently managed by the Elior group.

Prepared 48 hours in advance, the dishes must be reheated in schools.

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  • Society

  • Meat

  • EELV

  • Lyon

  • Gregory Doucet

  • Canteen