French Children Were Served Wine at School on Their Lunch Breaks, All the Way Up Until 1956

In 1956, the French government officially banned the serving of wine, beer, and cider in school cafeterias to children under the age of 14. Prior to this ban, it was common practice for French schoolchildren to be served these beverages during lunch, with some reports indicating they were entitled to up to half a liter a day.

Wine was considered a nutritional staple rather than a vice. It was believed to aid digestion, provide energy, and strengthen” young bodies.

During the early 20th century, alcohol was thought to have antibacterial properties that could kill microbes and prevent colds. In areas where clean drinking water was scarce, diluted wine was often seen as a safer alternative.

Many parents encouraged the practice, sometimes even sending their children to school with their own bottles of wine or cider in their lunch baskets.

The ban was initiated in August 1956 by the French Ministry of National Education, led by Prime Minister Pierre Mendès France, a vocal advocate for public health who famously encouraged the consumption of milk instead of alcohol.

Schools were instructed to replace wine with a glass of warm milk and a sugar cube.

The initial 1956 regulation applied only to children under 14. Students over 14 were still permitted to consume limited amounts of alcohol, typically no more than one-eighth of a liter, provided they had parental consent.

Alcohol was not completely removed from all levels of the French school system until September 1981. This final decree, issued under the presidency of François Mitterrand, banned all alcoholic beverages for all students, establishing water as the only encouraged beverage at school tables.

This reflects mid-20th-century French wine culture, where alcohol (especially wine) was integrated into daily life, including for children, in ways that seem surprising today.