Being Australian, my version of a canteen was very different. It was not a sit-down place that served full meals, but where we could buy certain things. Originally they were mostly junk food, until the education department demanded only healthier (not sure what the actual definition of 'healthier' was) foods allowed. Hot foods were pies, sausage rolls, chips etc and then there were packets of chips, cakes, fruit, icy poles, sushi etc. I never really went to the canteen much. In primary school I was allowed one lunch order a term (you wrote your order on a brown paper bag with the money inside and handed it in at the start of the day. At lunch time it was delivered to your classroom.) and only occasionally did mum let me spend pocket money there, usually for an icy pole on a hot day. In highschool, once I was earning my own money I could have spent more there but I always thought it was a waste.