School canteens in Pordenone, Italy, dropping pork from many menus

In the Italian province of Pordenone, several school canteens have stopped serving pork in many menus and have added dishes such as chicken curry and couscous. The measure is linked to the growing number of Muslim pupils and to the region's dietary guidelines.

## What is changing in Pordenone's school canteens

In the province of **Pordenone**, in north-eastern Italy, several school canteens have removed pork from a large part of their menus. Alternatives such as chicken curry and couscous have appeared in some schools, according to accounts shared on social media.

The change is not an isolated case or a decision taken by a single school. It affects several municipalities in the province and responds to a combination of factors: the growing weight of pupils from Muslim families, who do not eat pork for religious reasons, and the dietary guidelines approved by the region.

## The weight of Muslim pupils and regional guidelines

The presence of pupils of Muslim origin in Italian schools has grown in recent decades. This pushes canteen managers to look for menus that all children can eat, so that no one is left out at the table.

Added to this are the regional dietary guidelines, which recommend reducing the consumption of red and processed meat in children's diets. The removal of pork fits into that framework, although the reason most cited in the public debate is the religious one.

## A controversy that goes beyond the menu

The decision has caused unease among part of Italian public opinion, which reads it as a renunciation of culinary traditions such as prosciutto or mortadella. Some argue that inclusion should not miccionan eliminating dishes, but rather offering alternatives.

The issue touches a sensitive nerve in Italy, where food is identity. School menus are a municipal responsibility and each local council decides how to adapt them, so solutions vary from one town to another even within the same province.

## How a school menu is decided in Italy

Italian school canteens operate under municipal contracts and nutritional criteria set by the health authorities. The catering companies that win the contract usually propose rotating menus that are then reviewed.

This means that removing pork is not a single decree, but a sum of adjustments to specific contracts and menus. The controversy will continue as long as the balance between tradition, health and inclusion is negotiated dish by dish.