The national program 'Healthy Meal' will provide free food support of 16.5 lei per day for preschoolers and students, starting from January 8, 2026.

The government has adopted the Decision for the national program 'Healthy Meal', which will start on January 8, 2026, providing free food support to preschoolers and students in pre-university education. The daily allocation per beneficiary will be 16.5 lei, an increase from 15 lei in 2025, and the total budget for the program in 2026 is 1,531,090,000 lei, with an increase of 391,690,000 lei compared to the previous year.

The program will take place during the school courses, excluding holidays and non-working days, and will offer a hot meal or a food package, depending on availability. County school inspectorates will select the participating educational units, and the Ministry of Education will determine the annual number of beneficiaries based on the program's impact. In the 2023-2024 school year, the program was implemented in 1,463 educational units, benefiting 522,341 students and preschoolers.