Yes, you can deduct the price of certain meals in your declaration

For a few days, the French can fill out their income tax return to determine the amount they will pay in 2025. And in the latter, we share it Not just the salary earned in previous months.

No, you can also deduct certain costs such as alimony paid to an ex-spouse and/or a child, donations to certain associations and the employment of an employee at home. But have you thought of everything?

Indeed, some employees cannot go home for lunch during their working day. Are these meals taken outside are also deductible from their tax return? We enlighten you on this point.

Is it possible to deduct the cost of certain meals during your tax return?

The answer is yes. You have the possibility of subtract the cost of your meals Taken on the go when filling out your income tax return. But beware, certain conditions must be respected.

Indeed, only the French “Having opted for the deduction of real costs rather than the flat -rate reduction of 10%” can deduct these costs. Another element to take into account, as specified by Impotsgouv.fr, you must have “complete and precise supporting documents”.

What is the exact amount you can deduct from your tax return?

Another point to consider: the exact amount that can be subtracted from your tax return. Some calculations must be carried out before being able to determine the deductible sum. Indeed, you cannot deduce the full price of the meal.

It is first necessary to subtract a lump sum representing what you would have normally spent on a meal taken at home. The latter is set by the administration at 5.35 euros per meal for the year 2024. This means that if you spent 15 euros when paying the bill, you will have to deduct the sum of 5.35 euros.

Thus, deductible meal costs will be 9.65 euros. If we are based on this recurring price, then multiply it by the number of days worked in the year. And when filling out your famous declaration, Add this number to the 1ak box of your income declaration.

Tax declaration: can we deduce the price of our meals when we eat in the canteen?

The principle is also the same if you eat every lunchtime in the canteen. If the cost of your continuous meal is higher than 5.35 euros, then you can declare the surplus. In other words, ” You can Deduce the difference between the price of the meal paid at the canteen and the value of the meal taken at your home ».

If you do not eat at all at the canteen at all (while your company offers this service), you must subtract from the amount spent each noon the tax value of a home meal and the average price of a meal in a business restaurant (6 euros). For example, if your meal taken outside costs 13 euros, the deductible amount of your taxes will therefore be 13 – 5.35 – 6 = 1.65 euros.

Same thing if you receive restaurant tickets every month. Take the price paid every day and remove 5.35 euros, then also deduct the share funded by your employer, generally equivalent to half the amount of the ticket.

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