Equal school meals for all - differentiation of school meals according to school social index.

Objectives: The EU is discussing providing all children healthy food at least once a day through school lunch. In Germany, a School Food Standard (SFS) aims to ensure healthy and sustainable meals, however its implementation is mandatory in only some federal states, while voluntary in others. To address social disadvantages, some states use school social indices to allocate additional funding to disadvantaged schools. This study analyzes German school menus to assess their compliance with SFS requirements under both voluntary and mandatory implementation and examines whether healthy, sustainable lunches are accessible regardless of schools' socioeconomic status. Study design: Exploratory school meal analysis. Methods: A random sample of schools was selected based on the school register and social index, and schools were invited to participate voluntarily. Menus from a state with obligatory (OSFS) and voluntary (VSFS) implementation of the SFS were collected and analyzed. The analysis focused on SFS criteria, including a mixed diet menu, ovo-lacto-vegetarian dishes and criteria for menu planning. Binomial logistic regression and two-step multiple regression models were used to assess the influence of the school social index on compliance with SFS requirements. Results: We analyzed 67 OSFS menus and 79 VSFS menus. No significant influence of the school social index on menu quality was observed. OSFS menus generally met SFS requirements to a greater extent and exhibited a healthier dietary pattern. OSFS menus included more grain products, vegetables, legumes, and salad, fruits, and fatty fish, while containing fewer potato products, fried items, and industrial meat substitutes. They also used more organic products and sustainably sourced fish and provided better labeling for animal species, meat substitutes, additives, and allergens. OSFS menus featured more ovo-lacto-vegetarian options and prioritized seasonal and regional products. However, OSFS menus were less tailored to target audiences, lacked nutritional information, and often failed to clearly describe meal components. Conclusion: Regardless of socioeconomic status, all students receive the same food. OSFS menus better fulfilled SFS requirements and are a healthier and more sustainable option. However, compliance remains incomplete, even in OSFS states. Further research is needed to address implementation barriers and ensure equitable access to healthy school meals.