School meals (comedor)

It is for people who are thinking about moving to Spain, planning the move, or already settling in with school-age children. After reading, you will know what to budget, how to enrol, how to get your child's diet needs met and where to look for aid.

Start with "How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs". It gives the overall picture and the cost, and the other articles build on it. Then move to the one that matches your next step:

• Signing up, fixed days, occasional days and cancellations.
• Free or reduced-price lunch and who qualifies.
• Special diets: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan.
• Packed lunch (tupper), the mid-morning snack and the school-day meal routine.
• School lunch for teenagers in secondary school and vocational training.

Key rules

• Cancelling comedor: To avoid next month's charge, tell the school secretaría in writing before the end of the month, commonly by about the 20th to 25th.
• Absence refunds: Single-day absences are generally not refunded, while many regions reduce the fee for justified absences of five consecutive school days or more.
• Public price: In public schools your region sets one daily comedor price, reset each school year.
• Concertada and private: These schools set their own fees, usually higher than the public price, so ask for the tariff sheet.
• Income test: Your income per family member decides whether lunch is free or partly covered, and thresholds depend on family size.
• Priority groups: Some families, such as minimum-income recipients, skip the income scale or get top priority.

School meals (comedor): the whole process, step by step

• Find your region's and school's comedor rules, prices and forms (How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs): Before you enrol; the yearly instructions are published each spring

• Enrol in the comedor with the school enrolment, choosing fixed days or occasional days (Signing up for school lunch (comedor): fixed days, occasional days and cancellations): With school enrolment in late spring or early summer (June to July) for the next school year; some schools also take requests in September

• Apply for free or reduced-price comedor if your income or situation qualifies (Free or reduced-price school lunch (comedor): how the aid works): Aid applications have their own deadlines, often in spring or at the start of the school year; a change of circumstances can usually be applied for during the year

• Tell the school about allergies and special diets (Special diets at school: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan): When you enrol, and again whenever your child's needs change

• Join mid-year if you need the comedor later: Any time during the year if places are available, by applying to the secretaría; the fee starts the following month or the date of joining

• Pay the monthly fee and answer any reminder quickly: Every month; if fees go unpaid, a reminder comes first, and later the place can be lost, so ask the school about help if you are struggling

• Cancel or change the comedor (Signing up for school lunch (comedor): fixed days, occasional days and cancellations): In writing to the secretaría before the end of the month, commonly by about the 20th to 25th, to avoid next month's charge

• Choose between comedor and a packed lunch, and plan the mid-morning almuerzo (Packed lunch (tupper), mid-morning snack and the school-day meal routine): Before the school year starts, and any time your routine changes

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Certificate of empadronamiento — Free or reduced-price school lunch (comedor): how the aid works

Income and work

• Foreign tax returns or tax assessments — Free or reduced-price school lunch (comedor): how the aid works

Other documents

• A medical certificate or report from a paediatrician or allergist — Special diets at school: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan
• The school's or region's diet request form — Special diets at school: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan
• The school's current comedor tariff sheet — How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs
• Proof that your child is enrolled in a school in the region — Free or reduced-price school lunch (comedor): how the aid works
• Updated test results — Special diets at school: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan
• An action plan and a signed authorisation for emergency medication — Special diets at school: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan
• A foreign medical report is often accepted if it clearly states the diagnosis — Special diets at school: allergies, halal, vegetarian and vegan
• Medical certificate for an allergy or intolerance — How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs
• Medical certificate for a religious or vegetarian menu — How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

School meals (comedor): questions that cross several articles

Do concertada and private schools charge more for comedor than public schools?

Yes, concertada and private schools usually charge more than the regional public price, especially in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona. Each sets its own fee, so ask the secretaría for its current tariff sheet. Read How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs for budgeting.

Is the comedor price the same in every public school in my region?

Yes, public schools in a region that use the regional scheme charge the same daily price, but each region sets its own figure for each school year. Families with low income, large families and some other groups can get free places or reductions. Read How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs, then Free or reduced-price school lunch (comedor): how the aid works.

Is it cheaper to sign up for fixed days or pay for occasional days?

Fixed days are usually cheaper per day, because occasional days are charged at a higher rate, sometimes one to two euros more. Occasional days often need a day or two of notice. See Signing up for school lunch (comedor): fixed days, occasional days and cancellations.

When and where do I enrol my child in the comedor?

You usually enrol at the school secretaría or on the regional online platform when you enrol your child for school, in June to July for the next year. In some regions comedor and admission are in the same application. Have bank details, allergies and the days you need ready, and see Signing up for school lunch (comedor): fixed days, occasional days and cancellations.

Does the comedor cover the mid-morning almuerzo?

No, almuerzo is a separate mid-morning snack, eaten at the break at about 10:30 to 11:30, and children usually bring it from home. Typical choices are a bocadillo, fruit or yogurt, and many schools ask for healthy, nut-free snacks.