“We inform you that, from January 1, 2026, the vegetarian option will no longer be visible on the meal booking panel”, the Lisbon City Council (CML) announced in an email sent on October 21 to parents and guardians.

In the communication, the council stated that the vegetarian option “cannot be made available on an occasional or one-off basis and will be reserved exclusively for cases where a vegetarian diet is followed continuously and in a structured way”.

“If the child/student has a permanent vegetarian diet, the relevant request must be formalised with the school’s management, including the pupil’s name, school and year group. Once validated by CML, the meal plan will be designated as a “dietary restriction”, and a vegetarian meal will be provided daily, the email added.

Following this announcement from the council, parents and guardians launched a petition demanding the continuation of freely selectable vegetarian meals in Lisbon’s public schools, arguing that the council’s decision “is unacceptable and represents a step backwards in sustainability, freedom of choice and food education policies”.

“Restricting access to vegetarian meals only to those who “formally commit to a permanent regime” is a form of dietary discrimination, contrary to the spirit of Law no. 11/2017, which precisely aims to guarantee the right to a vegetarian option in public canteens without impositions or administrative barriers”, states the public petition, which had gathered over 1,200 signatures by 5pm, on October 23.

The petitioners further argue that many parents and students choose vegetarian meals for health, environmental, ethical or personal reasons, and therefore “it is unacceptable for the CML to make access to this choice more difficult”.

This petition thus calls on CML to revoke its decision to remove the vegetarian option from the booking panel as of 2026, maintaining the free and accessible selection of vegetarian meals for all pupils without requiring justification or proof of family dietary habits; to promote truly sustainable and inclusive food policies consistent with the values it claims to uphold; and to ensure that no child or family is discriminated against for their dietary choices.

“Schools should be spaces of inclusion, learning and example – and that includes respect for dietary choices that reflect values of health, the environment, and empathy. We urge CML to reconsider this decision and maintain an open, coherent and progressive food policy”, the petitioners emphasised.

In response to Lusa, the office of the Councillor for Education, Sofia Athayde (CDS-PP), stated that “it is not true that the free choice of vegetarian meals will end”, explaining that what is at issue “is not a change but a clarification of rules that already existed”, maintaining the vegetarian option for those who prefer it.

According to the councillor, this clarification seeks to “significantly reduce food waste caused by the unpredictability of the number of meals to be prepared each day”.

“The vegetarian options remain available, but their allocation will now follow clearer criteria, ensuring that all those who need or choose the vegetarian option have effective access to these meals”, Sofia Athayde’s office concluded.