Catalonia school cafeterias are unavailable to most secondary students, with only 35% of public high schools offering the service. This means thousands of teenagers finish classes at 3pm, travel home, and often don’t eat lunch until 4pm or later.

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Catalonia School Cafeterias: A Broken System According to the Síndic de Greuges, more than 300 high schools across Catalonia have no cafeteria or canteen service.

Catalonia School Cafeterias: Key Details

This dates back to 2012 when the regional government, led by Artur Mas, pushed most schools to adopt an intensive morning schedule instead of split-day classes. The move led to the systematic closure of kitchens and dining halls. “It’s a vicious circle,” explains Daniel Gabaldón, a sociology researcher at the University of Valencia specialising in school time management.

The impact is significant. Students face compressed timetables with reduced breaks, which experts say affects concentration and health. But the problem goes deeper. However, the lack of a school lunch service severely impacts vulnerable families who lose access to meal grants.

Health Risks and Social Consequences Experts warn that the late, often solitary, meals are a risk factor. “Not having a cafeteria at the institute doesn’t cause an eating disorder, obviously,” says Santiago Batlle, a professor at Pompeu Fabra University.

Daniel Gabaldón is more direct. “The scientific evidence says that eating later makes people’s nutritional choices worse. Basically, the later they eat, the worse they eat.” This can affect health in multiple ways, from a propensity for obesity to the risk of developing disordered eating patterns. The social impact is also profound.

There’s an academic cost too. A recent study by the La Caixa Foundation found that students who receive a partial meal grant achieve better results in basic Catalan competency exams than those who apply but don’t get one. However, “When we talk about educational improvement, we have to think of it as a whole package,” adds Truñó.

A Glimmer of Hope and a Barcelona Exception

The current government has pledged to begin recovering school cafeterias in secondary schools, an agreement made during the investiture pact between the PSC and Comuns. However, initial plans are modest, starting with just fifteen high-complexity centres.

Barcelona presents a stark contrast. Here, 100% of public high schools offer access to a lunch service. The city’s Education Consortium organised a flexible system where students can eat in their own school, a nearby primary school, a built-on office.Even in a little-used classroom with catering. “It’s true that achieving this for everyone is very associated with having a good budget,” admits Eulàlia Esclapés, Director of Education and Territory for the Barcelona Education Consortium.

For the rest of Catalonia, the wait continues. Stay connected with us on social media for the latest updates and news!
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