In Mykolaiv, a quarter of schools violate students' nutrition regime

An inspection of schools in Mykolaiv revealed that one in four does not comply with nutrition rules.

This was reported by the Main Directorate of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Mykolaiv region.

In September 2025, experts checked how the nutrition of children in the city's general secondary education institutions was organized. The analysis was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 305 dated March 24, 2021, which defines the procedure and standards for organizing meals in schools and childcare facilities.

According to the regulations, students in grades 1-11 should receive at least one hot meal a day - breakfast before 12:00 or lunch after 12:00. At the same time, a break of at least 30 minutes should be provided for younger students (grades 1-4) and at least 20 minutes for older students (grades 5-11).

The inspection revealed violations in 11 schools in the city, which is 25% of the total number of institutions analyzed. Most often, the duration of meal breaks was not observed, which makes it difficult to meet the physiological needs of children. This led to the fact that students did not have time to eat, or left some of the dishes uneaten.

The heads of the institutions where the shortcomings were identified were given suggestions on how to bring the meals in line with legal requirements.

According to Hanna Lychko , head of the city's education department , more than four thousand students have refused free meals at schools since the start of the new school year in Mykolaiv. This is about 20% of the total number of schoolchildren who are entitled to free meals.

Earlier, during an inspection of educational institutions in Mykolaiv region, it was found that most school canteens were not ready for the school year.

The commissions noted a lack of quality drinking and hot water, a lack of equipment in the canteens, incomplete medical examinations of employees, and an uncoordinated four-week menu that casts doubt on the quality of children's meals.

Ірина Глухова