On 10-11 December, the School Meals Coalition co-hosted a knowledge exchange workshop at the 19th Meeting of the European Child Guarantee Coordinators, held at the European Commission (EC) in Brussels, Belgium, in partnership with the EC Directorate-General for Employment, Inclusion and Social Affairs.

The EU Child Guarantee is a commitment by EU Member States to ensure every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social inclusion has access to the basic rights of healthcare, education, nutrition, and adequate housing. Focusing specifically on the Child Guarantee recommendation to provide at least one healthy meal at school each day, the joint workshop was an opportunity for Member States to discuss the current state-of-play of the provision of school meals across Europe, sharing their own experiences and exploring common successes, challenges, and ways forward.

As the research initiative of the School Meals Coalition, the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition presented the key academic findings on the returns yielded by investments in school meals, including returns to education, health, agriculture, and social protection. A full report combining workshop discussions, academic evidence, and proven best practices will be published by the Research Consortium in early 2025 to support European countries to improve access to nutritious meals at school, in accordance with the aims of both the EU Child Guarantee and the global School Meals Coalition.