From 16 to 18 June 2025, a delegation from the Municipality of Milan (Food Policy Unit) and other partners of the project, visited Rotterdam as a mentor city within the framework of the European Erasmus+ Healthy Wave project. This exchange marked an important step in supporting the City of Rotterdam in developing its local action plan to progressively introduce healthy and sustainable school meals for all students.

This collaboration builds on the close relationship developed over the past year, when a delegation from Rotterdam came to Milan to learn first-hand about our urban food policy and school meals system. This time, Milan had the opportunity not only to share its experience but also to learn from Rotterdam’s dynamic community-led initiatives and innovative practices.

Key Moments from the Visit:

• Presentation and sharing of ideas and initiatives with Rotterdam’s stakeholders and city officers
  
• Meeting the volunteers — mainly mothers — from VoedselEducatie010, a dedicated group that prepares daily lunches for students with passion and care, ensuring that children receive nutritious meals in a warm and welcoming environment.


  
• Visiting the Agnesschool, where for the past ten years the school meal has been fully integrated into the school’s educational project, with a thriving school garden that helps students connect directly with how food is grown and prepared.


  
• Stopping at OBS Delfshaven, where the Milan team enjoyed the same meal served to the children and listened to teachers, students, and parents talk about the day-to-day impact of their pilot project and how it strengthens the link between health, education and community.


  
• Exploring DakAkker, Europe’s largest rooftop farm — an inspiring example of urban agriculture and climate resilience that connects food production, education and community engagement in a unique urban setting.


  
• A final session on the 40th floor, with a panoramic view over Rotterdam’s skyline and the impressive offshore wind vessel docked in the port — a symbol of the city’s commitment to a sustainable and resilient future.

Reflections and Shared Learning

Throughout the three-day visit, participants reflected on how healthy food can be a powerful connector between schools, families, local communities and municipal policies. Discussions touched on how to ensure that school meals are not just about food provision but also about education, social inclusion, and building stronger local food systems.



Milan’s delegation learned how Rotterdam is building its approach step by step, experimenting with different models and drawing inspiration from successful examples across Europe. At the same time, Milan shared lessons learned on scaling up healthy and sustainable school meals, managing central kitchens, engaging diverse stakeholders, and integrating food education into daily routines.

This visit was made possible thanks to the support and guidance of Erasmus MC, which played a crucial role in coordinating the exchanges and facilitating meaningful conversations. Special thanks also go to all the organisations, schools, volunteers and community members in Rotterdam who welcomed the Milan team with such warmth and openness.

 This exchange shows that step by step, plate by plate, European cities can work together to make healthy, sustainable and inclusive school meals a reality for all children. It is a shining example of how collaboration, mutual learning and community participation can build better food systems for the future.