All around the world there are different standards for how students are provided lunch at school. Some countries school’s that don't allow students to bring lunch like France and Japan. While some schools don't serve lunch at all and expect kids to bring food from home like Canada. Every country has their own lunch guidelines.
Most European countries have the same basic outlines for school lunches. Italy banned serving fried food to students in school. Lunches typically have starch like rice or pasta, at least 2 vegetables, main food being: meat, fish and fruit. Now France provides multiple courses. The first one is a starter of vegetables followed by the main dish of meat and vegetables. Next a cheese course with bread on the side. The last course is a fruit or on the last day of week a sweet. Lunch is also usually 2 hours long for both Italy and France.
Now moving to the Asian countries. Japan has what is considered to be the healthiest school lunch. A typical lunch in Japan could have rice, grilled fish, seaweed wraps, miso soup, green tea, milk, vegetables, meat, tofu, or noodles. Students also help cook, serve, and clean after the lunches. Lunch in China is around 40 minutes long. In China lunch usually consists of noodles, rice dumplings, steamed pork buns, soups, fruit and vegetables as well.
In the countries in Asia and Europe school meals typically are not funded by the government. The food is funded locally and grown locally too. Food is also prepared in the school from scratch unlike America.
When it comes down to school lunches around the world some countries can't even compete for the best lunch. 1 country that can't compete is America. When you go to line up and get your tray you usually get 1-2 slots filled with some type of pre cooked food and the rest of the slots you have to fill with fruit and vegetables. The portions of food are typically not very big either. Lunch typically lasts between 30-45 minutes. Most food provided is frozen not made from scratch.
In my opinion I think that school lunches in America are definitely mediocre compared to countries in europe. I think that the school boards or government should find a way to provide better meals for students.
Do you like the current lunches the school provides?
What country's lunch would you prefer?
https://cromwell-intl.com/travel/france/school-lunch-menus/
https://www.japanesefoodguide.com/japanese-school-lunch/
Replies
Great topic choice and super job Caitlin! +5
I think that US school lunches are junk. It's food I guess, just not the best. Italian school lunches look so much better because it looks like it was actually made from REAL ingredients and meats, unlike the US schools' food, which is fake meat and old fruits and veggies.
I agree that the school lunch is pretty much junk.
I don't like the school lunches the school provides because all of it is frozen and not very good. I personally would prefer Italian school lunch because that looks good and you can almost guarantee that they are having pizza at least once a week.
I would also have to choose the italian lunch it looks the best.
I wish that we could have better lunch here in America, however, our lunch is still decent food and we get by with it so I am satisfied as of now. I would prefer Spain's school food because of the shrimp and rice. I really like Spanish food just because of their spice.
Sometimes the school lunch isn't that bad but sometimes it is but it's also from the company they get it from since they aren't that good but sometimes they make them by themselves and they're good. I like our school lunch fine it's just the companies food that it bad but sometimes they don't make it right.
I personally do not like the current lunches that the school provides, so that's why I bring my lunch to school every day. I don't think the lunches are healthy or nutritious and filling most of the time. I would prefer to eat Italy's school lunch because it looks very appetizing and healthy.
I agree that the school lunch is not healthy at all.
I do not like the current lunches that the school provides because sometimes the school food doesn't cook the food all the way. I think that if the school actully cooked the food the school lunches would be better.