How school lunch (comedor) works and what it costs

Terms used

• Comedor — The comedor is the school lunch service, with meals eaten at school and supervised playtime afterwards.
• AMPA — The AMPA is the school's parents' association, which can help run the comedor.
• Secretaría — The secretaría is the school's administrative office, which gives prices, forms and deadlines.
• Domiciliación bancaria — The domiciliación bancaria is a direct debit that takes the monthly fee from your bank account.
• Bonos — Bonos are prepaid vouchers for a set number of school lunches.
• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded, and charges its own comedor fees.

Key rules

• 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.
• Reductions: Low-income, large and some other families can get free or reduced places, so ask at enrolment.
• Payment: Fees are usually paid monthly by direct debit, and unpaid fees can cost your child the service.

What the comedor is

The comedor is the school lunch service. In public primary schools it runs after morning lessons. With a split day it usually runs from about 12:30 or 13:00 to 15:00. With a continuous day it runs from about 14:00 to 15:30. Hours differ by region and school.

A normal meal has a first course (pasta, legumes, rice, salad or vegetables), a second course (meat, fish or egg with a side), and fruit or yogurt, with bread and water. Children eat in one or two shifts. Supervised playtime follows lunch.

Who cooks and who runs it

Some schools cook on site. Many others use catering, where a company delivers meals prepared elsewhere. Catering is now the most common model in many regions.

The service is run by the school council, by the AMPA (the parents' association), or by the regional administration through a contract with a catering company. Ask the school which applies, because it decides who you pay and who you contact with problems.

What it costs

Public schools

Each region sets one daily price for public schools, and revises it each school year. Every school using the regional scheme charges the same price. For a full-price user it is normally several euros a day. Madrid, Cataluña, Andalucía, Comunidad Valenciana and Canarias each publish their own figure. Check the 2026-27 price on your region's education portal or with the school secretaría.

Many families pay less or nothing. Regions give free places or reductions to:

• low-income families and families receiving minimum-income benefits
• large families
• victims of gender violence or terrorism

Andalucía and Canarias base bonuses or free places on family income. The Comunidad Valenciana uses income tiers. In Cataluña the Departament d'Educació sets the price, and the consells comarcals run the service and may reduce it by income. Apply for a reduction at enrolment, and ask the secretaría which proof of income to bring.

Concertada and private schools

Concertada schools (publicly funded private schools) and private schools set their own fees. These are usually higher than the public price and vary by city.

• Concertada schools typically charge a monthly amount for fixed days, and a higher daily rate for occasional use.
• Private schools tend to charge more, especially in Madrid and Barcelona. Some include lunch in a larger monthly fee.

Ask the secretaría for the current tariff sheet before you decide, and check whether lunch is included in the school fee.

How you pay

Most schools bill monthly by direct debit (domiciliación bancaria) from the account you give at enrolment.

• Fixed-day users usually pay a monthly amount based on the school days in that month.
• Occasional users pay per day used, often billed the next month or bought in advance.
• Some schools use online parent portals or prepaid vouchers (bonos).
• In public schools run by the regional administration, you get a monthly receipt. In some regions you pay by bank transfer or at a bank.

If you do not pay, the school can withdraw the service after warnings.

Menus, allergies and special diets

A dietitian-nutritionist designs or validates the menu, following regional nutrition guidelines. The school council or a comedor commission usually reviews it. You can normally see the monthly menu on the school website, noticeboard or catering app, and the school must tell you the allergens.

Schools must offer menus for allergies and intolerances, and often for religious or vegetarian needs. Expect to give a medical certificate.

Where to find current rules and prices

Start with your region's education department (the consejería de Educación) and your school's secretaría. The secretaría can give the current price, forms and deadlines. The AMPA and the comedor manager can also help. The regional admission and comedor instructions come out each spring, so read them before you apply.

Timeline and deadlines

• Read your region's annual admission and comedor instructions: Each spring, when the regional education department publishes them

• Ask the school secretaría for the current price, forms and deadlines: After you have a school place and before the school year starts

Documents you need

• Medical certificate for an allergy or intolerance: needed if your child requires a special menu. Schools must offer these menus, and your child's doctor issues the certificate.

• Medical certificate for a religious or vegetarian menu: some schools ask for it when offering these menus.

• The school's current comedor tariff sheet: for a concertada or private school, ask the secretaría for it, since each school sets its own fees.

Quick answers about the school canteen

Do you pay for comedor in June, September and July?

It depends on your region and school, but you usually pay for June and September on the days your child actually uses the comedor, often at the normal daily price. Some schools charge a flat monthly fee instead. July is normally not charged, unless your town hall or region runs a separate summer comedor.

Who looks after children during lunch and the break?

Children are supervised by monitores de comedor, who work for the catering company, the parents' association (AMPA) or a services firm, and sometimes for the school. A common ratio is one monitor for every 15 to 25 pupils, and fewer pupils per monitor for infant children. The school director or a named comedor manager is responsible for the service overall.

Can my child eat their own food inside the comedor?

Where a school allows packed lunch (tupper), children usually eat it in the comedor room, often at separate tables under the same supervision. Some schools use another room because of space or catering contracts. Ask the school whether food can be kept cold or reheated, because a microwave is not guaranteed.

Who designs the comedor menu and can parents see it?

A dietitian-nutritionist working for the caterer or the school designs or approves the menu, following regional nutrition guidelines. You can normally see the monthly menu on the school website, noticeboard or catering app, and the allergens must be shown. If your child has an allergy or intolerance, ask the school for an adapted menu, which usually needs a medical certificate.

Summer billing, ratios and own-food rules differ by region and school, so confirm them with your school's secretaría.