Dispute in Grödig

New snacks after the end of the school buffet

Is there still enough fruit and healthy bread in our children's lunch boxes?(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

How healthy do our schoolchildren eat? After the long era of a mobile school buffet, a successor solution has now been launched in Grödig. The municipality will still be handing out apples, but the new service is also attracting criticism. 

When the keyword "school buffet" is mentioned in Grödig, emotions run high. The Kinderfreunde mobile buffet, which was founded by Sabine Emeder and Petra Schwarz 19 years ago and has been looked after with great attention to detail ever since, has now come to an end. The service at the primary and secondary school could not be maintained due to departures. And the municipality ultimately refused to contribute 20,000 euros.

The new sale of snacks has got off to a good start. As a municipality, we now also want to distribute apples to all classes.

Herbert Schober, Bürgermeister

A bitter end after a long era
The end is not only bitter for the good souls of the buffet, who are both over 50. "We are constantly approached by parents who regret the decision," they say disappointedly. "Why is a well-functioning system simply being abandoned?" The two school buffet ladies are now facing a difficult job search. The municipality has offered alternatives, but only for a few hours, they say.

New breakfast roll sales have started
Mayor Herbert Schober launched a new breakfast roll sale at the start of school. After a few weeks' delay, this has now also reached the children. Payment is made with tokens, which the children buy beforehand at school. "It has got off to a good start," says Evelyn Bergner from the Fürstenbrunn village store, which supplies the local elementary school. The municipality provides a subsidy of 60 cents for each sandwich sold. "Why is that possible here?" critics ask. On a positive note for the children: apples will soon also be distributed free of charge at schools.

Number of break buffets is falling overall
In general, the number of break buffets and lunches is also falling at Salzburg's schools. At the same time, every second young person only eats their first meal at school.