GERMANY

Germany: Parents demand more quality, transparency and high-quality proteins in schools meals

School meals are much more than just sustenance for parents. A recent nationwide study of parents of school-age children shows that quality, transparency, and a balanced diet are becoming increasingly important. Protein, in particular, is developing into a key quality criterion for many families when it comes to school lunches.

Posted on Apr 02 ,00:15

89 percent of those surveyed consider it important that school meals are healthy and high in protein. 71 percent of parents even want a legally mandated minimum protein content in school lunches.

At the same time, parents expect the food to taste good, be varied, and include seasonal products from Germany. However, it is concerning that less than half of the parents surveyed are currently satisfied with school meals. Parents complain, in particular, about a lack of transparency regarding the ingredients used.

Protein as the Key to Quality

The study, conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of the German Poultry Industry in February 2026 among 1,500 parents of school-age children, clearly shows that, in addition to good taste, protein is a key quality factor for parents when it comes to school meals. "Parents view school meals as an important building block for their children's development and academic performance," says Wolfgang Schleicher , Managing Director of the Central Association of the German Poultry Industry (ZDG). "A balanced diet with high-quality protein sources is a given for many families today." A Balanced Protein Mix Desired: The results show that parents don't see it as an "either/or" situation when it comes to protein sources. Rather, they want a balanced mix of animal and plant-based protein sources.

From the perspective of the majority of parents surveyed, poultry is the most popular protein source. Fish, legumes, eggs, and other meats are also among the top choices. 

• 79% of parents want poultry 
• 70% prefer beef 
• 62% mention pork 
• 38% choose other types of meat .

This makes poultry the most popular meat in school lunches. From the perspective of many parents, it fulfills key requirements of modern school meals: It provides high-quality protein, is versatile , and can be easily integrated into varied dishes. However , there is a gap between expectations and reality.

Despite clear expectations, the study reveals a significant gap between aspiration and reality. Not even half of all parents are satisfied with current school meals.

Parents are particularly critical of:

• the need for improvement in the proportion of products from Germany
• the lack of information on production and manufacturing standards
• the need for improvement in taste and seasonality.

For 75 percent of parents, it is important that school meals include products from Germany. However, only 49 percent of parents feel sufficiently informed about school meals. A mere 24 percent state that production standards are communicated transparently. "We expressly support the demand from parents in Germany for greater transparency in school meals," says Wolfgang Schleicher. "It must also be clear that the ingredients in school meals come from domestic farms that adhere to high legal standards. High-quality food from Germany, food traceability, and sustainability are issues that should not only play a role in supermarkets but are also important for school meals."

The study results reveal a striking East-West divide among the respondents. In the eastern German states, up to 41 percent of parents say they feel sufficiently informed about the production standards for school meals. In the western German states, this figure is at most 25 percent.

Protein as a new quality benchmark

A key finding of the study is that protein is increasingly becoming a new benchmark for quality in school meals. Parents consciously understand protein as a component of a balanced diet with both animal and plant-based ingredients. "The results clearly show that parents want school meals that provide children with energy and essential nutrients," emphasizes Wolfgang Schleicher . "High-quality protein sources are an integral part of a balanced diet for many families."

Conclusion

Parents are demanding noticeable improvements in their children's school meals. In addition to good taste, they expect healthy, varied, and protein-rich food. At the same time, there is a clear need for improvement in transparency and information.
"Tastes good" alone is no longer sufficient proof of quality for many parents. Almost 80 percent want poultry from Germany on their children's menus – as part of a modern, balanced school meal.

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