¡Buen provecho!
Lunches From Around the World
Kids around the world are headed back to school and that means homework, new friends, and … lunch? Yes, that’s right! Let’s visit four different countries to see what yummy food the school kids eat every day!
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| A French lunch |
French children enjoy a three- or four-course meal that is mostly made from scratch with high-quality ingredients. The children all sit together in a cafeteria, or large lunch room. Did you know that there are no vending machines in schools? They’re banned due to the high sugar and fat content of the treats they carry. Typical school lunches here can have a variety of dishes and ingredients, such as grilled fish, salad, red beans, seasonal vegetables, garlic sausage, fruit salads and chocolate flan. Another perk is that the food is served on plates and eaten with real silverware!
South Africa
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A Japanese lunch
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Japan
In Japan, the school lunch ingredients are locally sourced and almost never frozen. Schools employ nutrition experts that work with kids to teach them the importance of good eating habits. Like the children in France, Japanese kids also eat in a community-like setting with their peers, and even their teachers! The children also wear white hats and robes to serve their classmates, which teaches them teamwork and respect. You can expect to find lots of rice, vegetables, fish, soup, and meat on the plate.
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| South Africa’s Potjiekos |
South Africa
South African school meals have natural ingredients such as corn, squash, sweet potatoes, and yams. There’s also rice, soft porridge, and meat that is sprinkled in with the vegetables. A special stew, called potjiekos (named after a potjie, a three-legged pot), originated from Dutch settlers and is now a South African favorite. The cook puts vegetables, meat, potatoes, and spices into the pot, which is heated by small amounts of wood and twigs.
Colombia
Colombian school lunch ingredients usually vary from region to region, but can contain rice, potatoes, fruit, beans, meatballs, and vegetables such as corn and avocados. There’s a special vegetarian menu also available, and children from 2 to 5 years old have their food cut and portioned into smaller sizes.
We hope you enjoyed our lunch trip around the world, and perhaps found inspiration to try new foods at your own dinner table!
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| A Columbian lunch |
Colombian school lunch ingredients usually vary from region to region, but can contain rice, potatoes, fruit, beans, meatballs, and vegetables such as corn and avocados. There’s a special vegetarian menu also available, and children from 2 to 5 years old have their food cut and portioned into smaller sizes.
We hope you enjoyed our lunch trip around the world, and perhaps found inspiration to try new foods at your own dinner table!