Improvement of the Quality of Armed Forces Meals (Promulgation of Joint Ministerial Decision Increasing Allocation for Food Rations)

Improvement of the Quality of Armed Forces Meals (Promulgation of Joint Ministerial Decision Increasing Allocation for Food Rations)

February 24, 2026

A Joint Ministerial Decision of the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendiasand the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Athanasios Petraliaswas promulgated in the Government Gazette (Issue B, No. F.911/18-02-2026) entitled "Cash equivalents of regular food rations of the Armed Forces". The Joint Ministerial Decision provides for additional funding from the State budget to the amount of €12 mil. for 2026 (and each following year from 2027 to 2029) to increase the allocation for regular food rations issued in kind in order to improve the quality of the meals offered to enlisted soldiers, military academy cadets, and Armed Forces personnel.

In particular, the daily allocation for regular food rations issued in kind for enlisted soldiers is increased from €3.84 and €4.50 on average, depending on the category of beneficiaries, to €6.40. Additionally, the daily allocation for food rations for military academy cadets, Armed Forces School personnel and trainees, Special Forces and Special Operations Units, Reserve Officer Candidates, and personnel participating in field exercises, is increased to €7.30.

The decision also classifies for the first time Armed Forces Child Care Centres as regular food ration beneficiaries.

It is stressed that, with the revised General Subsistence Regulation of the three Services of the Armed Forces, the existing framework is rationalised with the reduction of the different beneficiary categories from 32 to 4 and different ration scales from 6 to 3. Furthermore, a common food ration cash equivalent is established for all three Services and modern nutritional rules are adopted in order to improve the quality of meals. The decision also provides for the preparation of a Joint Cookery Regulation for uniform handling of the messing needs of the Armed Forces, hygiene, organisation, and food safety.

Highlighting the importance of the improvement of the quality of mess meals, Mr. Dendias made the following statement during his recent visit to the Newly-Recruited Soldier Training Centre of the Armour Training Centre in Avlonas, Attica, in view of the enlistment of the 2026 A Enlistment Series (from 24/2/2026 to 27/2/2026): "There is a different approach to supply. A new Regulation has been prepared by nutrition specialists with a different meal plan, different nutritional values, in order to properly feed our soldiers. Adherence to this Regulation will be strictly monitored by the Army Inspectorate General of the Hellenic Army General Staff.