# Turkish advocacy for free school meals > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-advocacy-for-free-school-meals > Updated: 2026-10-15T17:42:00.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2. In September 2026, Yavuz Ağıralioğlu, leader of the Anahtar Parti, proposed a program to provide free, healthy meals to students starting from preschool. Ağıralioğlu estimated the initiative would cost approximately 150 billion lira, which he noted represents less than 1 percent of the central government budget. The plan aimed to utilize local farmers and cooperatives to provide menus containing protein, vegetables, and fruit. By October 2026, advocates and experts in Turkey expanded on the call for improved school meal access to combat nutritional inequality. During a panel organized by the Adana School Meal Coalition, data was presented indicating that 23.1% of children in Turkey live in households unable to consume meat, chicken, or fish daily due to financial constraints. In conjunction with World Food Day, representatives from the TMMOB Chamber of Food Engineers argued that access to safe, balanced nutrition is a “fundamental human right rather than a luxury.” Advocates emphasized that rising food prices are forcing low-income families to choose between healthy eating and other basic needs, calling for at least one free, nutritious meal per day for all students to mitigate the impacts of malnutrition. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-15: Turkish advocates call for free school meals to combat nutritional inequality Turkish advocates and experts are calling for universal free school meals to address rising food costs and nutritional inequality that affects children's development and educational equality. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkish-advocates-call-for-free-school-meals-to-combat-nutritional-inequality ### 2026-09-21: Anahtar Parti leader proposes free school meals for students Anahtar Parti leader Yavuz Ağıralioğlu proposed providing free, healthy school meals to all students, estimating a cost of 150 billion lira to promote educational equality. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/anahtar-parti-leader-proposes-free-school-meals-for-students --- Cite as: Turkish advocacy for free school meals. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-advocacy-for-free-school-meals