---
title: "After raw vegetables scandal at a lunch in Chernivtsi, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers launches inspections of school meals across the country"
description: "Following a scandal over raw vegetables served at a school lunch in Chernivtsi, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers ordered unscheduled inspections of meals in all schools in the country. This was announced by Prime Minister Serhiy Hordiienko."
date: 2026-09-03T16:28:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/chernivtsi-school-meals-inspections-cabinet-of-ministers
tags: [ukraine, school-meals, chernivtsi, education, food-safety, cabinet-of-ministers]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# After raw vegetables scandal at a lunch in Chernivtsi, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers launches inspections of school meals across the country

![Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine meeting on school food inspections after the Chernivtsi raw vegetables scandal](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/03/chernivtsi-shkolnoe-pitanie-proverki-kabinet-ministrov/chernivtsi-shkolnoe-pitanie-proverki-kabinet-ministrov-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Following a scandal over inadequate meals at a school in Chernivtsi, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers ordered inspections of the organization of meals in all schools in the country.
- On-the-ground inspections are being carried out by the State Service of Ukraine on Food and Consumer Protection together with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy; funding for this has already been allocated.
- Head of the Chernivtsi RMA Ruslan Osypenko initiated an official investigation, unscheduled visits to schools in Bukovyna, and opened a hotline: 0 800 33 52 56.
- The inspections are taking place against the backdrop of changes from September 2026, when students of municipal institutions were granted the right to free hot meals.

### The Chernivtsi scandal as a trigger

Ukraine has announced inspections of the quality of meals provided to students in grades 1–11 at all schools in the country. The initiator of the large-scale campaign was Prime Minister Serhiy Hordiienko, who stated in his Telegram channel that it was necessary to immediately sort out the organization of school meals directly on the ground. The trigger for such action was information about the poor quality of breakfasts and lunches at one of the educational institutions in Chernivtsi, where, according to reports, children were served raw vegetables for lunch. Ruslan Osypenko, head of the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration, called the disregard for children's safety unacceptable and initiated an official investigation into the incident.

### Large-scale inspections across the country

At the instruction of the head of government, the State Service of Ukraine on Food and Consumer Protection, together with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, is to carry out unscheduled inspections of the organization of meals in schools. As emphasized in the statement, the state has already allocated the necessary funding to carry out these activities. The inspections will cover not only documentation but also the actual diet that children receive. "Children's nutrition is not a place for cutting corners or a formal approach. All identified problems must be resolved without delay," Hordiienko emphasized. In addition, the Ministry of Education has been tasked with collecting feedback from schoolchildren's parents and ensuring an adequate response to incoming reports.

### Regional authorities' response and hotline

Ruslan Osypenko, in turn, ordered the launch of unscheduled monitoring visits to schools in Bukovyna. He stated that the regional military administration and law enforcement agencies would react immediately to any violations identified, and that those responsible would be held accountable under the law. Residents of the Bukovyna region were called upon to report such incidents via the hotline of the Chernivtsi RMA contact center — number 0 800 33 52 56. Thus, at the regional level, a direct line has been created for the prompt collection of complaints from parents and teachers.

### Context: reforms of the new school year

The announced inspections come against the backdrop of the start of the new school year, which brought a number of important changes for schoolchildren. In particular, from September 2026, all students of municipal educational institutions studying in person or in a mixed format have been granted the right to free hot meals. In addition to reforming the school lunch system, the new school year was marked by the updating of educational standards, the simplification of the grading system for students in grades 5–9, and the introduction of new educational programs for high school students. Under these conditions, the issue of the quality and safety of meals takes on particular importance, since the state is in fact assuming direct responsibility for providing a free hot meal.

### Contradictory data

At the same time, there is a slight discrepancy in the publications of different sources in describing exactly what was served to children for lunch at the Chernivtsi educational institution. The accompanying information to the materials of the Chernivtsi RMA uses the general wording "raw vegetables for schoolchildren's lunch." At the same time, the RBC-Ukraine publication's headline refers to "raw carrots," while the Inforesist source describes the diet as "raw carrots and bread." Thus, the exact composition of the dish varies across versions from general "raw vegetables" to specific carrots with bread. The key facts themselves — the fact of the scandal, the prime minister's instruction to conduct inspections across the country, and the reaction of the head of the RMA — are confirmed by both sides and are beyond doubt.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [In Chernivtsi, schoolchildren were served raw carrots for lunch; the Cabinet of Ministers announced inspections across Ukraine](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chernivtsyah-shkolyaram-obid-dali-siru-morkvinu-1788452146.html) - Подтверждает факт скандала в Черновцах, поручение премьера о проверках питания по Украине и участие профильных министерств. В заголовке конкретизирует блюдо как «сырую морковку».
- [In Chernivtsi, schoolchildren were served raw carrots and bread for lunch. The Prime Minister ordered an inspection of meals in ...](https://inforesist.org/v-chernovczah-shkolnikam-na-obed-dali-syruyu-morkov-i-hleb-premer-poruchil-proverit-pitanie-v-shkolah/) - Подтверждает факт скандала и поручение премьера. Описывает рацион как «сырую морковь и хлеб», что дает вторую версию состава блюда для блока противоречий.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why have inspections of school meals begun in Ukraine?
**A:** The inspections were initiated following a scandal over the poor quality of breakfasts and lunches at one of the educational institutions in Chernivtsi, where children were reportedly served raw vegetables. Prime Minister Serhiy Hordiienko ordered inspections to be carried out across the country.

### Q: Which agencies are conducting the inspections?
**A:** On-the-ground inspections are being carried out by the State Service of Ukraine on Food and Consumer Protection together with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy. The state has already allocated funding for these purposes.

### Q: What is being checked in schools?
**A:** Inspectors are checking not only documentation but also the actual diet that children receive. The Ministry of Education is also obliged to collect feedback from parents and ensure a response to it.

### Q: What is the hotline number opened in Chernivtsi Oblast?
**A:** Residents of Bukovyna are being asked to report cases of inadequate meals via the hotline of the Chernivtsi RMA contact center: 0 800 33 52 56.

### Q: What new provisions for schoolchildren take effect from September 2026?
**A:** From September 2026, students of municipal educational institutions studying in person or in a mixed format are entitled to free hot meals. Educational standards have also been updated, the grading system for grades 5–9 has been simplified, and new programs have been introduced for high school students.