What Children Around the World Eat for Lunch at School

Every country has its own standards for school meals. Some schools offer convenience food and snacks for lunch, and some cook set meals for students. The most popular meals are potatoes, rice, and a cabbage salad. There is also milk instead of fruit juice in most of the schools. We found out what school lunches around the world look like.

South Korea

The system of planning school meals in South Korea is one of the best in the world. The two biggest sections of the tray are usually for soup and rice. Smaller sections are for salads, seafood, veggies, and fruit. Thin children are given fish oil in a measuring spoon. Popular dishes: kimchi, sesame leaves stuffed with rice and covered with honey sauce, pumpkin potato soup, pancakes with green onions, pepper and octopus, and a cucumber and carrot salad.

Japan

Japanese school lunches are almost the same as the South Korean ones: hot soup, rice, poultry or fish, a salad, and milk. Students are not allowed to bring their own food to school until they reach high school. There are no vending machines in the canteens, and students don’t eat in the canteens. They put on white coats and take their lunches to their classrooms, serve at the desks, and eat there.

UK

Fried potatoes, carrots, rice porridge, a salad, fruit, and a Belgian waffle with chocolate. Many schools are limited by budget, and, therefore, students are offered fast food very often. Children love it. And it’s cheap.

USA

This is how school lunch in Utah looks. Peaches, corn, chicken, and soup. Dishes are quite different in American schools. Most of the time it’s fast food and convenience food that children really like: nuggets, French fries, pizza. Parents also give children a lunchbox to take to school.

Turkey

This is a lunch that was prepared at home for the student. Rye bread, walnuts, grapes, apple, pomegranate, and kefir. It’s food that helps to increase brainpower.

Thailand

On today’s menu, there is pork in sweet and sour sauce, rice, and a pudding wrapped in banana leaves.

France

This is a lunch served in a school in the west of France. Fish, spinach, potatoes, cheese, and bread. It’s considered to be the main meal of the day. The lunch break is one to two hours long. Students are also allowed to go home for lunch during this break.

Finland

Finland takes planning school meals very seriously. Every student is offered snacks during the morning and evening classes, as well as lunch. Children eat their lunches in a canteen where they can choose whatever they want from a large variety of dishes. Every school offers a lunch for children with special dietary needs, whether in connection with health issues or religion. The lunch in the picture includes meatballs with sauce, potatoes, salad, and muesli.