School Lunches Around the World compared to the USA

[HoneyBBQ]

Feb 26, 2015 12:12:15 GMT -5 jeep108 said:

When my daughter was little I could get her to eat just about anything.  Now that's she's a teen if it's not junk she's not happy.    Last night was baked chicken with Quinoa and Asian pear salad.  She ate the baked chicken with a  a nacho Lunchable that she bought with her own money.  When she was little she would of ate the salad.  She never complained until she was introduced to junk food.

My guess is she will come back around when she's older. It's 'cool' to eat crap when you're in high school. When she gets out and lives on her own, my bet is she'll have some good food habits based on your teaching.

[HoneyBBQ]

Feb 26, 2015 6:07:37 GMT -5 mamasita99 said:

The children would have to be trained at a very early age to enjoy eating those kinds of foods, well at least the fruits and veggies.  Many of the children have been raised on fast food and processed foods, so when offered "real food" they are turned off.  The amount of food the children throw away at school is horrible. The pathetic boiled veggies I can  understand, but side salads, and yogurt, milk, bananas? It's mandated to be on their lunch but it doesn't always get eaten. As teachers we try to get the children to at least put the items they don't want on the side and if it can be recycled (such as an unopened milk or banana) we hold onto it and can offer it for breakfast or additional food for the super hungry. We also have a program with a local shelter where we can drop off food overages as part of our community service project.

I'm so happy that right now my toddler will eat just about anything. She loves vegetables, she'll eat indian food, chinese, thai, etc. Whatever I whip up. eggplant, tofu. It goes down the hatch. She's even started eating the lettuce from her salads (usually she just picked off the toppings). 

I'm sure this will change as she gets older, but for now it is a big sigh of relief for me that we don't have ANY food fights...

Now SLEEP fights, that's a whole 'nother ball of wax.

[gooddecisions]

So what's everyone having for lunch today? Mine is looking okay, I think. Spinach leafs with baby carrots and poppy seed salad dressing, about 10 black berries, a baby bella cheese and a slice of french bread with butter.

I haven't actually ever made a different meal for my kids, but they are still little. My sisters and I always ate what was in front of us as kids. My step-mother cooked for us every night. She was really good at making a well-rounded dinner and she always had dinner on the table by 6:30 at the latest, normally 6- that's with getting home from work at 5:30.

I rarely complained, but I did not like meatloaf or chicken livers. She was great about burying the brussel sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower in cheese so we would not just eat it, but love it. I cannot imagine throwing a fit or refusing to eat what she cooked. It just seems really disrespectful. It'll be interesting if I feel the pressure to give into picky eaters. I understand there are a lot of considerations and everyone is just trying to make sure their kids eat.

Also, I think it's really easy to complain about the school food, but very hypocritical if we're not serving the food we consider healthy and delicious at home, as pictured from around the world.

[Deleted]

Lunch today. I made myself sauted chicken with veggies in a cashew cream/ginger/turmeric sauce. Son made himself a sandwich with chips and blueberry pomegranate juice. Daughter is making herself white meat g free chicken nuggets, which she is eating with ham... Yeah, Im not sure about that one...

[Wisconsin Beth]

My lunch is a wrap.  I"m using the carrot New Gem wrap (Molly recommended them on her thread Molly Rants) w/ turkey and ham, green pepper slices and some chopped up tomato in it.  Plus a line of Miracle Whip to seal it.  And a bag of chips to go with it.  And tea to drink.  I'll be switching to water after this mug of tea though. 

[jeep108]

I'm having Korean beef with brown jasmine rice for lunch today.

[Deleted]

Lunch today.  Turkey sandwich with lettuce and a little mayo and a lemon meringue greek yogurt. 

[ArchietheDragon]

I made the girls their lunch today. Hummus on sandwich flats. One with cheese, one without. Half an apple with lemon juice. cereal bar. one had a banana. One had a grahm cracker.

[Martivir]

I make DS's lunch every day. Today was greek yogurt, an apple, pepperoni and a Capri Sun. With ice cream money. At his school they will not let the kids buy ice cream unless they finish their lunch first. And his afternoon snack is popcorn. He gets a fruit, yogurt and some form of protein for lunch every day. Rarely will he get left over pizza. 

I'm one of those parents that did short order for far too long and now DS is an extremely picky about his food. It started because he has allergies but now it's a pain in the rear. Making a separate meal for him was easier when he didn't eat as much. Now all he wants is bread and butter, pizza, and grilled cheese. Last night I made pot roast with potatoes, carrots and rolls. He ate the roll and that was it. He's becoming open to more foods but I don't doubt some nights he's going to bed hungry because I don't give in to making him a separate meal. I still do short order once or twice a week. Like if I do breakfast for dinner or want to make DH something that DS can't have. 

[emma1420]

Feb 26, 2015 11:13:59 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Feb 26, 2015 11:10:55 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

I'm guessing that they chose the best looking of the countries and the worst of the US as a basis of comparison.

I don't think the US meal is completely horrible....mashed potatoes?  issue?  peas - yes, not a green leafy vegetable but a favorite among kids.  fruit cup - if it's in its own juice, what's the problem (my HS junior gets one every day from home).  if the chicken is white meat and not parts, not the worst thing ever.

I didn't think it was too bad either.  I mean the chicken nuggets were the only thing that I didn't think should be on the tray.  My issue is that meal isn't the typical school meal around where I live.  A huge slice of greasy pizza with french fries is more likely.

[Deleted]

Feb 26, 2015 14:30:34 GMT -5 emma1420 said:

Feb 26, 2015 11:13:59 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

I don't think the US meal is completely horrible....mashed potatoes?  issue?  peas - yes, not a green leafy vegetable but a favorite among kids.  fruit cup - if it's in its own juice, what's the problem (my HS junior gets one every day from home).  if the chicken is white meat and not parts, not the worst thing ever.

I didn't think it was too bad either.  I mean the chicken nuggets were the only thing that I didn't think should be on the tray.  My issue is that meal isn't the typical school meal around where I live.  A huge slice of greasy pizza with french fries is more likely.

our elementary schools have a balanced lunch.  the middle and high schoolers can buy what they want (although the free/reduced lunch ones may have to get the regular balanced lunch).

[midjd]

DD goes to a Montessori daycare/school that doesn't provide lunches. There is a huge engineer population here and probably 75% of her classmates are Indian or Chinese. Their meals always look amazing... I'm tempted to ask one of the parents to start packing ME a lunch. 

Usually DD will get a couple of boxes of raisins or dried cranberries, a yogurt, a fruit cup or some grapes, a scrambled egg with some quinoa or beans, and cooked carrots or broccoli. For dinner she'll eat what we eat, but we usually load her up with extra veggies and try to dial down the meat/starch. So far we've been able to avoid most refined sugar and junk food, and she eats just about anything we give her.

Since DH has always struggled with weight, I'm hoping that the longer DD goes without eating a bunch of junk, the better choices she'll make in the future. This has proven to be my hill to die on with MIL. I'm pretty sure if you showed her the OP she would point to the American lunch as the healthiest one. 

[milee]

Feb 26, 2015 15:06:29 GMT -5 midjd said:

Since DH has always struggled with weight, I'm hoping that the longer DD goes without eating a bunch of junk, the better choices she'll make in the future. This has proven to be my hill to die on with MIL. I'm pretty sure if you showed her the OP she would point to the American lunch as the healthiest one. 

That is a tough one.  It's hard to figure out how to make this work. MIL is bound to think you're a crazy, granola, controlling witch and also feel like you're implicitly criticizing her for feeding her family junk.  Don't ask me how I know this.   

If MIL lives close and sees your daughter often, you're smart to go ahead and make this your hill. But if MIL lives far away and your daughter only spends time with her once or twice a year, maybe this is a battle to avoid? No right answer or suggestions, just thinking it through since I've had similar struggles as have many of my friends.

[yogiii]

I hate the obsession with giving babies junk food.  DD is almost two and the only sugary thing she's had is cake on her first b-day.  Guess what, that's when we figured out she's allergic to eggs.  I've been using that as an excuse to not let anyone give her anything and have had it pointed out multiple times that "not all ice cream contains eggs".  Who cares!?!?!  She doesn't know right now that she's missing out.  Sure in another year or 6 months even, I'll be more careful to make sure she feels included in stuff but right now she's fine eating peas while everyone else has an ice cream sandwich, just leave it alone!  I did find what looks like a great recipe for an eggless chocolate cake so I can make her some cupcakes for her b-day.  I'm not a total monster

[t-dog]

We also force the kids to take food that they have no intention of eating because they have to have on their plate the items recommended in the food pyramid. My kid can't even buy lunch at school because he is not allowed grain or dairy for medical reasons.  He would be perfectly content just getting a salad every day but he MUST have on his plate food that will make him sick or he can't buy lunch period. What an enormous waste! Anyone who calls ketchup a vegetable has no business regulating what kids eat.

[t-dog]

I should mention that my 6th grader does crossfit for PE three times a week. His teacher is a crossfit instruction on the side.  One of the teacher's stated goals was to get the kids in shape.  Let's just say I could only hope to get myself into the same shape she has gotten DS into.  

[jkapp]

IMO, part of the problem is we're not just feeding kids lunch anymore...its practically all three meals plus snacks these days due to selfish, irresponsible parents and the liberals' need to enable selfish, irresponsible behavior.

[t-dog]

The other aspect of school lunch - the number of kids on free/reduced lunch determines how much funding the school gets for academic help programs....WHY??

My kid isn't on free/reduced lunch program, but newsflash government types....kids who can afford to bring lunch or buy it at full price need academic help too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*walking away before blood pressure spikes again over this issue*

[Formerly SK]

Feb 26, 2015 9:00:46 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

I think there are two different problems here.  One is making healthy options kids will eat.  Truthfully the tide is turning IMO.  I have given out soda for halloween for years.  Every year a number of kids will politely say no thank you to the soda.  About 5 years ago I added juice boxes so the little ones would have something they would drink.  Then past few years I have also put out bottles of water because so many kids are turning down the soda.  The parents are actually around most of the time and telling the kids the soda is okay but the kids are saying no I really prefer the water.  So it is changing it just probably won't happen over night.

The second part of the problem is cost.  Does anyone remember that show with Jamie Oliver?  I think the schools that did it actually had the kids loving the food.  The problem was they couldn't afford to keep doing it for $1.65 a meal.    The rules for things the USDA pushes also make it very difficult for schools to buck the system.  If the USDA is subsidizing processed chicken, and it is, the schools that accept money from the gov for lunches basically have to buy that processed chicken no matter what. 

So my questions are could the gov make a real change that gets healthy food in the schools without lobbyists ?  Because there is big money in selling processed chicken crap to our schools!!  The second question is could the schools do it alone for an amount that people could pay for their child's lunch while being healthy?

  Lunches are $1.80 at my school.  Tell me how you could serve a healthy, tasty lunch for $1.80.  Kids at my school only get 20 minutes for lunch (including waiting in line if they're getting a hot lunch).  It's kind of hard to get little kids to eat much in 20 minutes when they not only have to get their food, but they're also sitting next to their BFF chatting away.  So yeah, a lot of food is thrown away.

Remember a few yrs ago - Michele O's Lunch program? One kid's mom sent him to school with home-cooked chicken, the school took it away from him and told him that he must eat the McNuggets cuz they met the nutrision requirements?

I call complete BS on this.  There's no reason why a school would deny a child the lunch their parent provided.  Heck, half the time the home packed lunches are just bags of chips, a juice box, and a lunchable tray.    Home-packed lunch does NOT mean healthy. 

A lot of people with opinions have not stepped foot in a school in awhile. 

[jkapp]

Feb 26, 2015 19:29:50 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

Feb 26, 2015 9:00:46 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

I think there are two different problems here.  One is making healthy options kids will eat.  Truthfully the tide is turning IMO.  I have given out soda for halloween for years.  Every year a number of kids will politely say no thank you to the soda.  About 5 years ago I added juice boxes so the little ones would have something they would drink.  Then past few years I have also put out bottles of water because so many kids are turning down the soda.  The parents are actually around most of the time and telling the kids the soda is okay but the kids are saying no I really prefer the water.  So it is changing it just probably won't happen over night.

The second part of the problem is cost.  Does anyone remember that show with Jamie Oliver?  I think the schools that did it actually had the kids loving the food.  The problem was they couldn't afford to keep doing it for $1.65 a meal.    The rules for things the USDA pushes also make it very difficult for schools to buck the system.  If the USDA is subsidizing processed chicken, and it is, the schools that accept money from the gov for lunches basically have to buy that processed chicken no matter what. 

So my questions are could the gov make a real change that gets healthy food in the schools without lobbyists ?  Because there is big money in selling processed chicken crap to our schools!!  The second question is could the schools do it alone for an amount that people could pay for their child's lunch while being healthy?

  Lunches are $1.80 at my school.  Tell me how you could serve a healthy, tasty lunch for $1.80.  Kids at my school only get 20 minutes for lunch (including waiting in line if they're getting a hot lunch).  It's kind of hard to get little kids to eat much in 20 minutes when they not only have to get their food, but they're also sitting next to their BFF chatting away.  So yeah, a lot of food is thrown away.

Remember a few yrs ago - Michele O's Lunch program? One kid's mom sent him to school with home-cooked chicken, the school took it away from him and told him that he must eat the McNuggets cuz they met the nutrision requirements?

I call complete BS on this.  There's no reason why a school would deny a child the lunch their parent provided.  Heck, half the time the home packed lunches are just bags of chips, a juice box, and a lunchable tray.    Home-packed lunch does NOT mean healthy. 

A lot of people with opinions have not stepped foot in a school in awhile. 

I believe this is the story alluded to...their lunch wasn;t thrown out, but the kid was forced to eat some food provided by the school and then the parents were charged for it.  You know, because the schools and government know whats good for everyone, and if you don't do what they say is best for you, they will force their will upon you...for the greater good, of course.

www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=8762

Preschooler’s Homemade Lunch Replaced with Cafeteria “Nuggets”

State agent inspects sack lunches, preschoolers purchase cafeteria food instead

"A preschooler at West Hoke Elementary School ate three chicken nuggets for lunch Jan. 30 because the school told her the lunch her mother packed was not nutritious.

The girl’s turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips, and apple juice did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, according to the interpretation of the person who was inspecting all lunch boxes in the More at Four classroom that day.

The Division of Child Development and Early Education at the Department of Health and Human Services requires all lunches served in pre-kindergarten programs — including in-home day care centers — to meet USDA guidelines. That means lunches must consist of one serving of meat, one serving of milk, one serving of grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables, even if the lunches are brought from home. "

-Now tell me what the f$%* was wrong with that lunch?  Goddamn government!

[Deleted]

[ according to the interpretation of the person who was inspecting all lunch boxes in the More at Four classroom that day. [.....Goddamn government!
[/p][/quote]


This had nothing to do with 'government'...

[cronewitch]

Feb 26, 2015 18:48:43 GMT -5 yogiii said:

I hate the obsession with giving babies junk food.  DD is almost two and the only sugary thing she's had is cake on her first b-day.  Guess what, that's when we figured out she's allergic to eggs.  I've been using that as an excuse to not let anyone give her anything and have had it pointed out multiple times that "not all ice cream contains eggs".  Who cares!?!?!  She doesn't know right now that she's missing out.  Sure in another year or 6 months even, I'll be more careful to make sure she feels included in stuff but right now she's fine eating peas while everyone else has an ice cream sandwich, just leave it alone!  I did find what looks like a great recipe for an eggless chocolate cake so I can make her some cupcakes for her b-day.  I'm not a total monster

A family tricked the kids into not knowing what the ice cream man was. The kids were told it was a music man, wasn't in nice of him to drive around playing music for people. The kids finished college not and are kinda thin, girl is married and pregnant so they survived not having ice cream every day all summer even after they figured out the music man sold ice cream.

[gs11rmb]

Feb 26, 2015 19:07:27 GMT -5 t-dog said:

The other aspect of school lunch - the number of kids on free/reduced lunch determines how much funding the school gets for academic help programs....WHY??

My kid isn't on free/reduced lunch program, but newsflash government types....kids who can afford to bring lunch or buy it at full price need academic help too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*walking away before blood pressure spikes again over this issue*

I believe you are referring to the Title 1 program.  Schools that qualify for Title 1 status have high levels of poverty within the student body and poverty is connected to low levels of academic achievement, which is why Title 1 schools receive additional funding support.  My daughter attends a Title 1 school where 53% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch.  There were some parents who were outraged and wanted to know what we could do to get the number below 50%.  The other parents (myself included) and teachers don't want it to drop because then we'll lose our funding.  Title 1 has paid for a science teacher, a computer lab, para-professionals and a weekly after-school tutorial program.  There's a solid middle and upper-middle class component in our school but there are also students living in abject poverty who definitely need additional academic support.

[midjd]

That is a tough one. It's hard to figure out how to make this work. MIL is bound to think you're a crazy, granola, controlling witch and also feel like you're implicitly criticizing her for feeding her family junk. Don't ask me how I know this.

If MIL lives close and sees your daughter often, you're smart to go ahead and make this your hill. But if MIL lives far away and your daughter only spends time with her once or twice a year, maybe this is a battle to avoid? No right answer or suggestions, just thinking it through since I've had similar struggles as have many of my friends.

She lives about an hour away and keeps DD overnight once every few months. I knew this was going to be my hill to die on before I even got pregnant Luckily DH is fully on board, which surprised me a bit, since he's usually very protective of his mom.

(She snuck 4mo DD some cupcake icing at a party WHILE I WAS HOLDING HER (my head was turned)... I handed DD to DH and left the room. I have no idea what DH said to MIL after that, but it worked. )

The food MIL feeds DD at her house now is not necessarily what I choose to feed DD at home, but none of it is actively bad, so I keep my mouth shut and stifle my control-freak tendencies.

I hate the obsession with giving babies junk food.

Seriously! I know MIL tries it because she wants DD to like her best and thinks giving her a "special treat" will do the trick... guess what, she already likes you, you're the grandma. Give her a piece of fruit if you want her to have sugar, she doesn't know the difference! 

[Sam_2.0]

Feb 25, 2015 23:03:24 GMT -5 Ryan said:

The high-priced preschool I sent my kids last year boasted of the organic snacks they served in their school.  I'm not sure what I expected, but this was a typical snack.

LOL, organic sugar is still sugar

[Sam_2.0]

Feb 27, 2015 5:05:20 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

Feb 26, 2015 18:48:43 GMT -5 yogiii said:

I hate the obsession with giving babies junk food.  DD is almost two and the only sugary thing she's had is cake on her first b-day.  Guess what, that's when we figured out she's allergic to eggs.  I've been using that as an excuse to not let anyone give her anything and have had it pointed out multiple times that "not all ice cream contains eggs".  Who cares!?!?!  She doesn't know right now that she's missing out.  Sure in another year or 6 months even, I'll be more careful to make sure she feels included in stuff but right now she's fine eating peas while everyone else has an ice cream sandwich, just leave it alone!  I did find what looks like a great recipe for an eggless chocolate cake so I can make her some cupcakes for her b-day.  I'm not a total monster

A family tricked the kids into not knowing what the ice cream man was. The kids were told it was a music man, wasn't in nice of him to drive around playing music for people. The kids finished college not and are kinda thin, girl is married and pregnant so they survived not having ice cream every day all summer even after they figured out the music man sold ice cream.

My mom told us it was the exterminator (as a joke, but we totally believed her). We heard the music and ran inside, terrified the bugs would get us if we were out when the van drove by Boy were we pissed when we found out it was really the ice cream man! There wasn't money for us to get ice cream from the van, and mom was creeped out by the drivers anyway, so she kept popsicles for us in the freezer to enjoy while our friends were getting treats from the ice cream truck. We didn't mind at all.

[teen persuasion]

Feb 27, 2015 10:19:36 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

Feb 27, 2015 5:05:20 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

A family tricked the kids into not knowing what the ice cream man was. The kids were told it was a music man, wasn't in nice of him to drive around playing music for people. The kids finished college not and are kinda thin, girl is married and pregnant so they survived not having ice cream every day all summer even after they figured out the music man sold ice cream.

My mom told us it was the exterminator (as a joke, but we totally believed her). We heard the music and ran inside, terrified the bugs would get us if we were out when the van drove by Boy were we pissed when we found out it was really the ice cream man! There wasn't money for us to get ice cream from the van, and mom was creeped out by the drivers anyway, so she kept popsicles for us in the freezer to enjoy while our friends were getting treats from the ice cream truck. We didn't mind at all.

And now I'm picturing the creepy child-catcher from Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang!  Anyone else remember that?

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I thought of this thread when looking at the school lunch menu.  The lunch flyer was announcing that March is healthy eating month.

Today's lunch?   A hot pocket.

Oh the irony. .

[schildi]

They all use the same plates?
Also, I don't think the lunches in my kids school look nearly as appealing as the USA lunch pictured.

I don't think these are real life examples / photos. But then: what are they?

[midjd]

Feb 27, 2015 15:15:23 GMT -5 schildi said:

They all use the same plates?
Also, I don't think the lunches in my kids school look nearly as appealing as the USA lunch pictured.

I don't think these are real life examples / photos. But then: what are they?

The article linked in the OP said that these were recreations based on photos posted on various social media sites.