21 per cent of pupils are foreign nationals: pigs banned from schools in Pordenone. Controversy erupts

No more pork on the menus of school canteens in Pordenone and the surrounding area. With very few exceptions, pupils at the Destra Tagliamento school will no longer be served dishes such as rigatoni all’amatriciana, pork chops or San Daniele ham. Instead, the dishes that children and young people will be able to enjoy will include chicken curry and couscous. This is also a sign of the demographic changes taking place in the area.

In Pordenone, foreign pupils, including second-generation pupils, account for 20.9 per cent of the total, compared with the national average of 11.6 per cent. In comprehensive schools, the proportion rises to 30 per cent. Consequently, the school meal menus for the 2026/2027 academic year are changing, featuring more ‘inclusive’ recipes that are also suitable for pupils of the Muslim faith. However, this decision has sparked controversy, in the wake of the Piacenza case.

“Pork on Italian children’s dinner tables is not an optional extra to be scrapped so as not to cause offence,” argues Gianangelo Bof (Futuro Nazionale). “Respect for other cultures and religions cannot and must not mean giving up our own traditions,” insists Marco Dreosto, secretary of the Lega Fvg. According to Emanuele Loperfido, president of FdI Pordenone, “it is right to promote coexistence, but it cannot be our cuisine that has to take a back seat”.
“Everyone’s primary concern should be to ensure that our children eat healthy food,” replies Fausto Tomasello, secretary of the provincial PD, calling for a balanced approach.

The guidelines issued by the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, which encourage the choice of white meat over red meat, are also contributing to the decline in pork consumption. However, in the Pordenone area, beef burgers and beef stew remain a staple on the menu. At Spilimbergo Primary School, pork is only available on request – perhaps as a topping on a pizza – whilst pupils can also enjoy chicken curry and couscous.

In Pordenone, Sacile and San Vito al Tagliamento, pork-based dishes have disappeared entirely; however, it is still possible to enjoy traditional Friulian dishes such as frico. The mayor of Pordenone, Alessandro Basso, points out that the council has not issued “any directive” or “guidance”: the aim is “to ensure that children have a healthy and balanced diet. Offering alternative dishes to respect different religious precepts is legitimate and right, provided that the traditions of our region remain fully intact’.
Meanwhile, in Piacenza, coppa – initially banned from school menus along with other pork-based dishes – has been reinstated: following a commitment by the mayor, Katia Tarasconi, the PDO cured meat will return to school canteens, but only from Year 3 onwards. Among the reasons for its removal from the menus, as Tarasconi explained in recent days, was the risk of choking.