Berlin, Germany – October 23, 2025 – The German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Homeland (BMLEH) today launched a digital toolbox designed to fortify daycare and school meal programs against disruptions, recognizing the critical role thes services play in societal resilience.The initiative comes following lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed vulnerabilities in essential infrastructure, including school and daycare catering.
Stable access to high-quality meals in educational settings is a cornerstone of all-day care and education, and a vital support for families. The BMLEH commissioned the Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT) to identify potential risks to these programs – including staff and supply shortages, power outages, and cyberattacks - and develop proactive solutions. The resulting digital toolbox provides practical resources for those responsible for school and daycare catering.
The toolbox includes checklists for immediate response to meal service interruptions, guidance for creating comprehensive emergency plans with a sample template, and customizable interaction materials for parents. The IZT study emphasized the food sector’s importance as a critical component of national resilience.
Further information and the full IZT report are available at https://www.bmleh.de/DE/themen/ernaehrung/gemeinschaftsverpflegung/krisenresiliente-kita-schulverpflegung.html.
