Fish fingers chosen most favourite school meal in Helsinki

Fish fingers have been chosen as the most favourite school meal among the students in Helsinki, according to a survey commissioned by the Palvelukeskus Helsinki, which provides food services in schools and educational institutions in the city.

The survey said that the top 10 dishes still include familiar favourites such as fish fingers, vegetable tortillas and spinach pancakes, said the City of Helsinki in a press release on Wednesday.

The second most popular school meal this year was the newcomer butter chicken, which was added to the rotating school menu last autumn at the request of pupils and students.

Chicken curry was third in the list of favourite followed by Spinach pancakes, Tortillas with vegetable filling, Frankfurter sauce, Tuna and pasta bake, Pea soup, Minced meat and macaroni casserole and Fish soup.

“Butter chicken was first featured under the Indian food theme a year ago and was very well received. We ended up getting a lot of requests to add the dish to the permanent school menu, and in the autumn we responded to this demand. It's great to find such a new favourite dish that not only tastes good, but also meets the nutritional and preparation requirements,” said Maarit Ojaluoma, Development Manager of Palvelukeskus Helsinki’s Food Services.

The favourite school meals survey was carried out electronically in spring 2026 where about 3,300 students of about 120 City of Helsinki comprehensive schools, general upper secondary schools and vocational colleges took part.