> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # School Canteen Reform Debate Today in Sarrià - URL: https://barna.news/school-canteen-reform-debate-today-in/ - Published: 2026-11-12T09:20:16.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-12T09:52:04.000Z - Description: Over 300 professionals gather at Barcelona's College of Physicians to shape the future of ecological and local school meals ahead of 2027–2028 public tenders. - Author: Barna.News News Desk - Tags: education Video: [@ecopages.cat, @ecocentral.cat, @xamec.cat / IG](https://www.instagram.com/p/Dfj%5FRUho6Ht/?ref=barna.news) ## Congress Focuses on Health, Sustainability and Procurement The first Congress 'Towards Ecological, Local, and Healthy School Canteens' takes place today, Thursday 12th November 2026, at the College of Physicians of Barcelona in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district. The event, organised by the Agroecological Network of School Canteens of Catalonia (XAMEC) and the Ecolocal certification initiative, marks the network’s tenth anniversary and brings together nearly 300 attendees from education, health, agriculture, and public administration. Discussions will focus on improving nutritional standards, reducing children’s exposure to environmental contaminants, and strengthening the role of local, agroecological food in school catering. A central topic is the upcoming public tenders for school canteen services in the 2027–2028 academic year, which will determine sourcing criteria and opportunities for regional producers. --- ## Three Key Themes Guide Debate The day’s programme is structured into three thematic blocks. The first examines child health, food quality, and the impact of chemical contaminants, featuring speakers including physician and researcher Dr Nicolás Olea, environmental paediatrician Dr Ferran Campillo, and contamination specialist Koldo Hernández. The second block explores the broader food system, ecological production, and territorial development, with contributions from agronomist Dr M Dolores Raigón and food systems expert Piero Carucci. The final session addresses school canteen management and public procurement, moderated by Auxi Vecina Jiménez and including expert Ximena Lazo Vitoria, a specialist in ecological public procurement. > The congress aims to influence the design of public tenders to prioritise food quality, organic certification, local sourcing, and children’s health. A sectoral manifesto, jointly prepared with the Spanish Society of Ecological Agriculture (SEAE), will be presented at 17.15\. It will outline concrete proposals for future tenders and reinforce the shift toward sustainable, health-centred school meals. --- ## XAMEC’s Decade of Impact Since its founding, XAMEC has expanded access to ecological, seasonal, and locally sourced food across more than 110 school canteens in Catalonia. The network currently supports over 23,000 daily meals, with more than one million kilograms of agroecological food consumed each year. According to data from the network, over 93% of ingredients are purchased directly from producers. One of its flagship tools, the Ecolocal certification, aims to standardise and verify the presence of local and organic foods in school canteens and collective catering services. The initiative also works to embed these criteria into municipal and regional public procurement frameworks. Those interested in attending or reviewing the full programme can visit [congres.xamec.cat](https://congres.xamec.cat/?ref=barna.news), where registration and detailed session information are available. --- *Sources:* [*El Jardí*](https://diarieljardi.cat/menjadors-escolars-debat-a-sarria-sant-gervasi/?ref=barna.news)*,* [*Ajuntament de Barcelona*](https://www.barcelona.cat/infobarcelona/en/tema/city-council/schools-with-healthier-and-more-sustainable-canteens-a-networked-community%5F1380594.html?ref=barna.news)*,* [*congres.xamec.cat*](https://congres.xamec.cat/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PROGRAMA%5FCongres%5FMenjadors-Escolars%5FXAMEC%5F2.pdf?ref=barna.news)*,* [*insights.tridge.com*](https://insights.tridge.com/speaker-product-news-reports/KJLyFXpzJzgKuB1Gqsm5QUKHGgR43AVdqL9k2goWXQuoFAQRfTzetYiw?ref=barna.news)*.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [UIC Launches Maths and Data Science Degree](https://barna.news/uic-launches-maths-and-data-science/) - [Special Education Centres See 30% Rise in Pupils](https://barna.news/special-education-centres-see-30-rise/)