Where in France can you get a nutritious and well balanced three-course meal for EUR1?If you are one of the nation’s estimated 3 million trainees in college, the answer is: the university restaurant or cafe.This month
, after a survey showed that almost half the trainee population were skipping meals because they could not manage to consume, the French government revealed that EUR1 meals, previously means-tested and minimal to students with scholarships, would be encompassed all.At the Université Paris Dauphine restaurant recently, trainees were filling their lunch trays with food from among half a dozen counters. For EUR1 (86p) they can choose from a selection of beginners, a vegetarian, meat or fish main dish with potato and veggie sides and fruit, yoghurt, cheese or a pastry to follow.On most term days they can also serve themselves from a salad bar or select a pizza– or both.Extra dishes are 55c; coffee 60c.
It is canteen food and not likely to win any Michelin stars, but the meals are varied, delicious and copious.Farid Rouba, the chef, stated his dining establishment at Dauphine University was ranked 9/10 in a recent questionnaire by trainees. Photo: Ed Alcock/The Guardian Farid Rouba, the chef who manages the Dauphine university kitchen area, said many meals were produced internal and made up of a healthy balance of in your area sourced items, a number of which are natural. Students have given his menus the thumbs up, he stated.”They offered us 9/10 in a recent survey. Our customers are the students and we listen to them when drawing up the menus. We are feeding people who are the future of France and it is essential they consume well.” Diane Chelkoff, the director of the Dauphine dining establishment, stated:”The trainees can have 2 well balanced EUR1 meals a day from here, either consuming here or take-away.” It helps those trainees that are not getting financial assistance but
discover it challenging to make ends fulfill.”Most of the dishes are put together by us here so we understand what goes in them.
The chef strives to come up with an excellent, balanced menu and listens to what the students recommend.” During hectic term days, the Dauphine dining establishment seats 2,400 trainees in 3 sittings. Take-aways are readily available in the university cafe next door. Chelkoff said the kitchen area is prepared for a surge in demand when the university year begins in September.Théo Pupunat, 22; Jérémy Reyes, 20; Antoine Lebrun, 20; and Maxence Lapras, 21; all trainees in financing, marketing or
management, were enjoying their lunches and were even going back for seconds.”We consume here every day. There’s always a good variety, “said Reyes, tucking into a roast leg of chicken, pasta and green beans.Jérémy Reyes stated he eats in the lunchroom every day. Photograph: Ed Alcock/The Guardian Yuqi Yang, 26, from China, who is studying for a 2nd master’s degree in marketing after a very first master’s degree in linguistics at the
Sorbonne, stated:”I don’t have a lot of cash so I constantly come here to consume. It’s very good.”Throughout town at the Mabillon, the university restaurant used by students at the Sorbonne, Maxime Daniel, 26; Mehdi A’ït Naceur, 22; and Julie Bénard, 22; were lunching with their history professor, Laura Hobson Faure.”I eat here practically every day and there’s always a good option. I’m on a scholarship so it’s a huge conserving,” Bénard said.A’ ït Naceur agreed:”It’s a monetary help for those
who are not on scholarships but who still don’t have much cash. “Daniel, a PhD student, added:” It’s a little standard.
If I had to pay the full tariff, I ‘d probably simply get a sandwich or something somewhat much better quality, but for EUR1 everyone can
eat.”Hobson Faure, who admitted she had not eaten at the dining establishment previously, stated her meal– consisting of a main dish of lentil and beef patty with potatoes, for which she paid the non-student rate of EUR9.35–“remarkably good “. From 2020 till this month, only students with low incomes or receiving financial aid with real estate and charges (approximately a quarter of those in higher education)were eligible for the EUR1 meals. The rest paid EUR3.30, which had not increased for 5 years. Trainee unions campaigned for the EUR1 meal to be available for all after the survey showing almost half of trainees were missing out on meals to conserve cash and a quarter of them were doing so regularly.Student unions had actually campaigned to roll out the EUR1 meals to all trainees, whereas before it had actually been a means-tested procedure. Photograph: Ed Alcock/The Guardian”The country has decided to invest public cash in its students,” Bénédicte Durand, the president of the National Centre for University and School Solutions(CNOUS), the government body accountable for trainee housing and well-being, told the Guardian.”Our students are very lucky when you
take a look at what occurs in other nations.”” It’s not just a concern of making life easier for those at university, however also a concern of social and public health,”Durand added.” Obviously it costs the state money, however I strongly defend the
idea that it’s important not simply to feed our students but make sure that all, with or without
financial aid, can discover themselves around the exact same table with the exact same meal and that meal is balanced.”And we all understand the issues of public health among the young including sedentary way of lives and obesity so it’s also a health procedure.”Durand conceded that a universal measure was unusual in a system that means-tests most social benefits, but said the EUR1 meals, served at the 950 dining establishments and lunchrooms run by CNOUS
, including those at mentor healthcare facilities, were fully supported by the federal government, which has assured to set aside EUR120m (₤ 104m )to fund them next year.CNOUS is now seeking
200 additional staff and spending for more equipment to handle increased demand.However, not everybody is persuaded the EUR1 meal for all is a great idea. The future business owners at Dauphine University felt the aid might be better invested in other places. “Those who can manage to pay EUR3.30 should. I discover it anti-equality that everybody must pay the same price when it’s already low-cost, “Lebrun said.Reyes included:”Certainly everybody will say paying EUR1 for a whole meal is a good idea, however I ‘d rather the money be put into more affordable
accommodation for trainees.”