Cypriot parliamentary audit raises concerns over soldiers' nutritional standards

On October 29, 2026, the Parliamentary Audit Committee in Cyprus reviewed a report regarding the dietary habits and food quality provided to National Guard soldiers. A significant point of contention was the high frequency of meat consumption in ready-made meals, which are served nine times per week. Reports provided to the committee indicated varying frequencies based on the food source: seven times weekly for unit kitchens, eight times for frozen portions, and nine times for ready-made meals. Furthermore, 41% of soldiers reportedly supplement their diet with additional meat consumption outside of military installations.

Lawmakers expressed concern that the nutritional assessment used for these menus has not been updated since 2019. Despite these criticisms, the committee acknowledged improvements in general catering standards over recent years and praised the efforts of responsible officials. Following the session, it was announced that the relevant committee will reconvene to evaluate the current menu and discuss necessary changes to better align military nutrition with updated health standards. The situation remains under review as officials move to address the outdated nutritional evaluations and potential dietary imbalances.