Larnaca, Cyprus. The education ministry has acknowledged shortcomings in the initial rollout of its new “Breakfast for All” programme after parents raised concerns over portion sizes and plastic packaging in meals provided to preschool children. The pilot scheme began on Tuesday in public preschools across the Larnaca and Famagusta districts and currently serves around 3,900 children.
Concerns raised during pilot phase
Photographs from the first days of implementation circulated among parents and on social media, showing breakfast portions that included fruit in individual plastic packaging alongside baked products and artificially sweetened milk.
The images prompted criticism from some parents regarding both the quantity of food provided and the volume of single-use packaging involved.
Ministry response
Responding to the concerns, the education ministry confirmed that issues had been identified during the first phase of implementation and said feedback was already being evaluated.
According to ministry officials, representatives were present in participating schools during the opening days of the programme to monitor food preparation, transportation and children’s reactions to the meals.
Programme objectives and menu
The ministry said the menu had been prepared by a team of nutritionists and was designed to meet the nutritional needs of preschool children.
Breakfast options include both savoury and sweet muffins with fruit, served with milk (yalatakis).
Officials said the objective is to ensure that food provided to children is high quality, safe and suitable for their age group while encouraging healthy eating habits consistent with the Mediterranean diet.
Funding and launch
The programme was announced by President Nikos Christodoulides in May as a €1.5 million initiative funded through private sponsorship.
