School Lunches Around the World
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Condensed by Native Village
The National School Lunch Act became law
in 1946. Who could have imagined
that one day American schools would
serve chicken fingers, frozen French
fries and soggy pizza?
While nutrition activists are trying to
get healthier foods into our schools,
here's what school lunches look like in
other countries:
 |
Finland
Meals are
"tasty, colorful and
well-balanced." Cooked
and raw vegetables cover
half the plate. (Carrot and
beet salads are popular).
Proteins and starches each take
1/4 plate.
A vegetarian option is
usually offered. Hernekeitto, a green pea
soup often flavored with
smoked pork, is usually
served on Thursdays. |
 |
Australia
Most Aussie kids
bring their lunch from home.
Often it's a sandwich
of cheese and Vegemite, a
jam-like, salty yeast-based
spread that's been a staple
since 1922. |
 |
Italy
Most schools serve
lunches made from organic
ingredients grown nearby.
They center around pasta or
risotto and salad. Meat is
served only a couple times a
week. Unfortunately,
merendine (snacks) are
frequently eaten, especially
packaged candies and cakes.
Bread with Nutella is also
popular.
Italy has a higher
proportion of overweight
children than the U.S. |
 |
Kenya
Githeri -- a
mixture of beans and dried
corn -- is the
standard school lunch
throughout the country.
Students line up with their
plastic bowls as servings
are ladled out from huge
pots. |
 |
Korea
Korean school
cafeterias often use
sectioned metal trays. The
two biggest sections are for
rice, usually served with
pickled vegetable kimchi and
soup. Three smaller
compartments hold side
dishes of vegetables and
fish. Kids are given little
plastic bottles of a sweet
yogurt drink, which is
hugely popular in Korea. |
 |
Barbados
Schools offer a
free morning snack of milk
and biscuits -- known as
cookies to us Americans. In
1963, the government began a
hot lunch program. Most
meals are beans and rice
which is delivered by van to
schools around the island. |
 |
Brazil
The school day
usually runs from 7 a.m.
until noon. During morning
hours, kids munch on snacks
like queijadinhas, which are
muffins made from cheese and
coconut. Many children eat
lunch at home after school,
but the schools offer hot,
healthy meals to
underprivileged students. |
 |
France
Kids are served
pretty much the same things
adults eat. A week's menu
might include veal scallops
Marengo, hake with lemon
sauce, and lamb with
paprika. Fresh bread and
salad are included at every meal,
and fruit and yogurt are the
usual desserts.
|
 |
Japan
In Japan, school
lunch is known as kyuushoku.
Kyuushoku is eaten in the
classroom. Rice and fish
make up most menus, but
students are sometimes
treated to dishes like
korokke, (fried potato
croquettes) or omurice, (an
omelet filled with a
ketchupy rice and chicken.) |
 |
Zambia
School lunch in
Zambia is nshima, white
cornmeal cooked to a thick,
sticky dough. Nshima is the
staple food for Zambia's
entire population. It's
eaten with your hands and
dipped into relishes made
from greens, dried sardines,
or stewed soy protein. |
 |
Denmark and Norway
Scandinavian school
children usually bring their
own lunches to school. The
standard is smørrebrød,
which are open-faced
sandwiches of cheese, liver
spread or salami on dense
dark rye bread. |
 |
Singapore
Singapore school
lunches are served like a
food court. Different stalls
are rented out to private
cooks, and kids can choose
between noodle soups,
curries with rice, and
"Western" food. Kids
especially love chicken
chop, a boneless chicken
covered with thick gravy.
Chicken chop is served with
either spaghetti or beans
and coleslaw. |
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