Packed lunch (tupper), mid-morning snack and the school-day meal routine

Terms used

• Tupper — The tupper is a packed lunch from home, brought in a lunchbox.
• Comedor — The comedor is the school canteen where children eat lunch.
• Reglamento de régimen interno — The reglamento de régimen interno is the school's internal rulebook.
• Almuerzo — The almuerzo is the mid-morning snack eaten at break time.
• Recreo — The recreo is the school break between lessons.
• Bocadillo — A bocadillo is a sandwich made with a baguette-style roll.
• Jornada partida — Jornada partida is a split school day with morning and afternoon classes and a long lunch break.
• Jornada continua — Jornada continua is a single block school day, usually ending around 14:00.

Key rules

• Packed lunch: No national right exists, so check your region's rule and the school's own rules.
• Almuerzo: Almuerzo is a small mid-morning snack, not the main lunch.
• Jornada continua: Lunch moves to after classes, at home or in the comedor with monitors.

Is a packed lunch allowed?

It depends on your region and your school. No national rule gives every child the right to bring a packed lunch (tupper). Regional rules apply, and the school decides within them.

Some regions, such as Catalonia and Valencia, have rules or court decisions that favour letting children bring their own food. Others leave it to the school and allow it mainly for medical or religious reasons. Some schools restrict it when an outside company runs the comedor.

Ask the school office, and read the school's internal rules (reglamento de régimen interno) for what they say about own food. The checklist below lists the questions to ask.

Fees and where your child eats

Where a packed lunch is allowed, some schools charge a supervision fee for the monitor and the space. Others charge a reduced fee or nothing. It is usually lower than the full menu price. Ask the school for the current amount.

Children usually eat their own food in the comedor room, often at separate tables under the same supervision. Some schools use another room. Do not count on a microwave or fridge. Pack an insulated bag unless the school tells you it can keep food cold or reheat it.

Almuerzo: the mid-morning snack

Almuerzo is the snack children eat at break time (recreo), usually between 10:30 and 11:30. Typical food is a bocadillo, fruit, yogurt or a small snack from home. In infant school it is often fruit.

Many schools encourage healthy snacks. Some have fruit days and ban sweets, pastries and sugary drinks. Where a child has allergies, the class may be nut-free. Check your school's rules.

Lunch and the school day

Under jornada partida, classes run in the morning and afternoon, with a lunch break of about two hours (roughly 12:30 to 14:30, or 14:00 to 15:00). Children eat at the comedor or at home.

Under jornada continua, classes run in one block, usually about 9:00 to 14:00. Lunch then happens at home after school. Alternatively, the comedor runs after classes, often from 14:00 to 15:30, with monitors and sometimes activities afterwards.

Many regions have moved primary schools to jornada continua. The regime depends on regional rules and school votes, so ask which one your school follows.

The decision below helps you choose between comedor, packed lunch and lunch at home.

Should my child eat school lunch (comedor) or take a packed lunch

Should your child eat school lunch (comedor) or bring a packed lunch (tupper)?

• Comedor on fixed days: Your child eats at school on the same days every week. You pay the regular, lower daily rate, so this is usually the cheapest way to use the comedor.

• Comedor on occasional days (día suelto): You only need school lunch now and then. Each day costs more, often by about one to two euros, and you may need to book a day or two ahead. If you need it most weeks, fixed days work out cheaper.

• Packed lunch (tupper): Your child has a diet, medical or religious need the menu does not cover, or you want to cut costs. First check that your region and school allow it, because there is no national right. Ask whether the school charges a supervision fee.

• Lunch at home: Your school runs jornada continua (one block of classes, usually about 9:00 to 14:00) and someone can collect your child at the end of the school day. Otherwise the comedor or a packed lunch covers the midday break.

Start with the cost: compare the fixed-day comedor price for the days you need with the packed-lunch supervision fee, if any. Low income, a large family or minimum-income benefits may bring a reduced or free comedor place, so ask before ruling it out. If the diet is the issue, ask the school for a menu adaptation before choosing a packed lunch. Then match your work schedule to the school day. Decide before the month starts, because cancelling needs notice in writing.

Check the current daily price, any packed-lunch supervision fee and the packed-lunch rule with your school and your region's education department.

Checklist

• Ask the school office whether children may bring a packed lunch (tupper), as this depends on regional rules and the school's own decision.

• Ask whether the comedor is run by an outside company, because some schools restrict packed lunch in that case.

• Ask if there is a supervision fee for packed lunch and how much it is.

• Check where your child would eat their own food: in the comedor room or somewhere else.

• Ask whether the school can keep food cold or reheat it, and pack an insulated bag if it cannot.

• Ask about medical or religious reasons if your child needs own food, since some schools allow packed lunch for these.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child eat a packed lunch inside the comedor itself?

Yes, where the school allows packed lunch, children usually eat their own food in the comedor room, but some schools use a separate room. Some use separate tables in the same room under the same supervision. Ask whether food can be kept cold or reheated, because a microwave is not guaranteed.

Will the school charge a fee if my child brings a packed lunch?

It may, because schools that allow packed lunch can charge for supervision and use of the space. The fee is usually lower than the full menu price. Some regions limit or ban the charge and some schools charge nothing, so ask the school for the current figure.

What is almuerzo, and what do children usually eat?

Almuerzo is a mid-morning snack eaten at the break (recreo), usually between 10:30 and 11:30. Typical foods are a bocadillo (sandwich), fruit or yogurt, and in infant school it is often fruit. Many schools ask for healthy snacks and ban sweets, and some have a nut-free rule.

Where do children eat lunch under jornada continua?

Under jornada continua, classes run in one block, usually about 9:00 to 14:00, so children eat at home afterwards or at the comedor. The comedor is then often an after-class service with monitors, commonly 14:00 to 15:30. Under jornada partida, there is a lunch break of about two hours in the middle of the day.