What to know about public school meals in Luxembourg

If you’re new to Luxembourg or just looking to understand how the school meal system works, you'll find that it's managed by Restopolis.

This government-run service has been providing meals in secondary schools and universities since 2005, under the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth. Whether your child is in a public school or even at university, chances are they’ll come across a Restopolis canteen or cafeteria.

What’s on the menu?

Restopolis focuses on offering a variety of fresh meals, often prepared on-site at the schools. Their aim is to ensure that students, and even adults, have access to healthy and balanced meals. Here’s what you can typically expect from the school canteens:

• Daily choices: Students can pick from a selection of starters, main courses, and desserts, with vegetarian and vegan options always available. Plus, many schools feature salad bars where kids can make their own salads from seasonal ingredients.
  
  
• Morning snacks: During the morning break, fresh fruit, homemade cakes, sandwiches, and artisanal pastries are on offer – all made with local ingredients.
  
  
• Variety: Some canteens also serve homemade pizzas, pastas, and woks, making sure there’s something for every taste.

How to reserve a meal?

While reserving meals isn’t mandatory, it’s an option for students and adults who want to secure their preferred dishes. Reservations can be made up to five days in advance through the Restopolis website or mobile app (available for both Android and iOS).

To make a reservation, you need to log in with an IAM account from CGIE, and bookings must be completed by 8.00pm the day before.

Making reservations is also encouraged as a way to reduce food waste, as it helps the canteens prepare the right amount of food.

Keeping things balanced and safe

Restopolis ensures that every meal is nutritionally balanced, using fresh ingredients, with 35% sourced locally and 6% of their products being organic. This emphasis on fresh and local produce is an integral part of their approach.

For students with food allergies, all 14 legally declared allergens are clearly displayed on menus, both in the canteens and on the Restopolis app and website. For those with severe allergies or intolerances, parents can request hypoallergenic meal trays from the Natama brand by submitting a form completed by their doctor.

How to pay

The payment system for school meals is straightforward. Restopolis uses the myCard system, which can be topped up via their website using a credit card or Digicash. University students and those in certain institutions have their own cards, which are compatible with the myCard system, allowing them to pay for meals in the same way.