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9 Pics That Show What Kids Get For School Lunches In Different Countries
Debates and initiatives over school lunches in the United States have remained in the public dialogue over the years, and for a good reason. The National School Lunch Program (NPL), which provides low-cost or free kids meals, serves upwards of 31 million students at 92 percent of U.S. public and private schools.
This means the dietary restrictions and provisions of NPL should be of concern to most U.S. parents. Well, Sweetgreen, a chain of salad restaurants, that runs the Sweetgreen in Schools program meant to educate kids about healthy foods, fitness, and sustainability, created interesting photo series to show what kids around the world eat for lunch in school cafeterias – and compared to the U.S these schools are serving up gourmet healthy meals. Scroll down below to compare plates!
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Italy
Local fish on a bed of arugula, pasta with tomato sauce, caprese salad, baguette and some grapes
Finland
Pea soup, beet salad, carrot salad, bread and pannakkau (dessert pancake) with fresh berries
France
Steak, carrots, green beans, cheese and fresh fruit
Brazil
Pork with mixed veggies, black beans and rice, salad, bread and baked plantains
South Korea
Fish soup, tofu over rice, kimchi and fresh veggies
Greece
Baked chicken over orzo, stuffed grape leaves, tomato and cucumber salad, fresh oranges, and greek yogurt with pomegranate seeds
Ukraine
Mashed potatoes with sausage, borscht, cabbage and syrniki (a dessert pancake)
Spain
Sautéed shrimp over brown rice and vegetables, gazpacho, fresh peppers, bread and an orange
USA
Fried ‘popcorn’ chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, fruit cup and a chocolate chip cookie
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What do you think ?
Anne 7 years ago
What do they look like? (I'm curious!) to me all these look like local dishes, served on a "school lunch tray" - but far from truth.
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Nadine 7 years ago
I live in Spain. Where the heck did this person even get the idea that schools would be serving sautéed SHRIMP at lunch???
WaLe 7 years ago
Ahahah I thought the same thing xD that's just so unreal XD come on!!!
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Nikki D 7 years ago
Also, replace "popcorn chicken" with freezer burned chicken nuggets ; P
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ZombieGirl5591 7 years ago
That does not look like American school lunches. I mean, it has been a long time since I was in school and maybe its changed, but I doubt it. This is probably just an example that was cooked by a chef with nice ingredients or something lol. I remember the food always being burned, stale, dry, sloppy, and plain gross....also, very few options.
JustABobcat 7 years ago
I hear ya, ZombieGirl. I remember having a small rectangle of a 'pizza' for lunch in HS from time to time. Consisted of a dry crust with what looked like spray-painted on tomato sauce and a few sparse sprinklings of cheese. The whole thing was usually overcooked.
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Giovanni 7 years ago
I cannot speak for the other countries but the italian one is super fake, the dishes while plausibles are never served together and don't look remotely like that, also the caprese salad is not properly a salad nor a side dish.
Sierra Hall 7 years ago
The one comment "They're your kids, you feed them"... For real? We pay taxes for public school, even when you don't have kids enrolled.
BusLady 7 years ago
I suppose *her* kids have never gone hungry. She sounds like a snob.
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SkyTheImaginer 7 years ago
You made this same post about four years ago Bored Panda. It wasn't accurate the first time either, except for the US.
Unlikely 7 years ago
lol whut. I live in Germany and let me tell you, I really don't believe that school food would look like this ^^; Maybe private schools, but not public ones... Not even the food in our canteen at work looked like any of these photos, so I really doubt they would put that much effort into school lunches.
Troux 7 years ago
The USA lunch is much smaller and unhealthier than that. Tater tots, a square of Styrofoam pizza, and a cup of corn syrup with 3 chunks of fruit in it.
Miss Cris 7 years ago (edited)
In Spain, and I think it's in al European Union at least, menus are made by dietists so they are always healthy and balanced. And of course they aren't able to choose anything. They must eat only what's on their plates and they can be "force-feeding" in order they eat everything, including couliflower and ugly bad-smelling vegetables.
Load More Replies...
Anne 7 years ago
What do they look like? (I'm curious!) to me all these look like local dishes, served on a "school lunch tray" - but far from truth.
Load More Replies... Nadine 7 years ago
I live in Spain. Where the heck did this person even get the idea that schools would be serving sautéed SHRIMP at lunch???
WaLe 7 years ago
Ahahah I thought the same thing xD that's just so unreal XD come on!!!
Load More Replies... Nikki D 7 years ago
Also, replace "popcorn chicken" with freezer burned chicken nuggets ; P
Load More Replies... ZombieGirl5591 7 years ago
That does not look like American school lunches. I mean, it has been a long time since I was in school and maybe its changed, but I doubt it. This is probably just an example that was cooked by a chef with nice ingredients or something lol. I remember the food always being burned, stale, dry, sloppy, and plain gross....also, very few options.
JustABobcat 7 years ago
I hear ya, ZombieGirl. I remember having a small rectangle of a 'pizza' for lunch in HS from time to time. Consisted of a dry crust with what looked like spray-painted on tomato sauce and a few sparse sprinklings of cheese. The whole thing was usually overcooked.
Load More Replies... Giovanni 7 years ago
I cannot speak for the other countries but the italian one is super fake, the dishes while plausibles are never served together and don't look remotely like that, also the caprese salad is not properly a salad nor a side dish.
Sierra Hall 7 years ago
The one comment "They're your kids, you feed them"... For real? We pay taxes for public school, even when you don't have kids enrolled.
BusLady 7 years ago
I suppose *her* kids have never gone hungry. She sounds like a snob.
Load More Replies... SkyTheImaginer 7 years ago
You made this same post about four years ago Bored Panda. It wasn't accurate the first time either, except for the US.
Unlikely 7 years ago
lol whut. I live in Germany and let me tell you, I really don't believe that school food would look like this ^^; Maybe private schools, but not public ones... Not even the food in our canteen at work looked like any of these photos, so I really doubt they would put that much effort into school lunches.
Troux 7 years ago
The USA lunch is much smaller and unhealthier than that. Tater tots, a square of Styrofoam pizza, and a cup of corn syrup with 3 chunks of fruit in it.
Miss Cris 7 years ago (edited)
In Spain, and I think it's in al European Union at least, menus are made by dietists so they are always healthy and balanced. And of course they aren't able to choose anything. They must eat only what's on their plates and they can be "force-feeding" in order they eat everything, including couliflower and ugly bad-smelling vegetables.
Load More Replies...
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