According to a press release, 170 schools, kindergartens, and high schools at the national level have applied to participate in the "Meal and Class" program, the first systemic transformation program for educational institutions organized by Edenred in partnership with AVE (Association for Values in Education) and the Association of Private Schools (ASP). Through this program, educational institutions receive support to provide and improve the quality of hot meals served to children in school units.

Out of these, 140 institutions will be invited to participate in the "Meal and Class" program. Representatives of the admitted schools will benefit from mentoring and training through AVE and its experts to develop managerial capacity to attract funding from public, European, or non-profit foundation sources to generate solutions related to infrastructure or the nutritional quality of meals provided to children.

An important component of the "Meal and Class" program is the encouragement of healthy eating habits. In partnership with AVE and with the support of Edenred Romania, the Association of Private Schools has created the Guide to Healthy Recipes for Schools.

This guide was launched at the Annual Private Schools Conference held from September 28 to 29 and is freely available online to all public and private educational institutions in Romania. The material includes recipes (breakfast, two snacks, lunch) that have been tested over a 2-week period.

As a novelty, the recipes are accompanied by scientific resources (dietary surveys showing the quantity and number of calories needed for a meal) and nutritional labels, making it easy for catering companies to adopt them for school units.

In a preview, 50 kitchen staff from school units learned to prepare the recipes presented in the guide during three intensive days of training workshops. Additionally, they were introduced to the principles of healthier and more attractive cooking for children, guided by professionals in gastronomy and nutrition.

The "Meal and Class" program is part of EduFOOD, the strategic direction for 2023-2026 in Romania of the FOOD program (Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand) coordinated by Edenred in 11 EU countries.

Furthermore, this initiative aligns with European public policies regarding children's access to healthy nutrition through hot meals in schools.