Camp kitchen has to change Pupils eat more veggie menus following left-green decision

The popular autumn camp in Fiesch VS is becoming more expensive - and more political. The city of Zurich is significantly increasing its contribution, while at the same time the left-wing council majority is tightening the requirements for nutrition and social mix.

The Fiesch camp is actually regarded as the carefree highlight of many school years in Zurich. But last week, the financing of the offer turned into a fundamental debate on fairness and climate policy in the municipal council. The city council justified the increase in the annual contribution from 150,000 to 260,000 francs with rising prices in the vacation village and higher compensation for management staff. This point was undisputed. Everything else was not.

The discussion became particularly emotional when it came to the food, writes the Tages-Anzeiger. The left-green majority demanded that less meat be put on the plates in future and that the menu planning be more plant-based. The guidelines should be based on the city's climate targets and transfer the standards from Zurich school canteens to Valais. The left-green majority argued that meat consumption per person should be reduced by two thirds and that these guidelines should also apply in cantons where young people from Zurich spend their camp weeks.

Resistance was prompt. The middle classes warned against "re-education" and interference in the traditions of Valais cuisine. There is already always a menu without meat and a salad buffet at the camp. The chefs did not need any political guidelines, said FDP councillor Roger Meier. But the majority prevailed.

Only fish or meat on three days

At the Sport Resort Fiesch, where the discussions from Zurich suddenly resulted in full inboxes last weekend, director Barbara Moosmann told the "Walliser Boten " newspaper that she was pleased and pragmatic about the new attention. She is delighted that the camp has played such a major role in the city parliament, she says.

At the same time, she emphasizes that they are not letting this upset them. Although the new menu requirements are new territory for the building, they are by no means a problem.

However, despite all the openness, the balance between effort and price must be maintained, Moosmann continues. The Sport Resort offers very low pension prices. "If the expense increases even more in future due to extra requests, we will have to ask ourselves at some point to what extent we can still maintain the balance."

In future, the resort only wants to offer Zurich groups meat or fish three days a week. For Moosmann, this is feasible as long as expectations do not grow to infinity and it remains clear that a camp operation always requires compromises.