Take a moment to reflect upon your lunches. No, not the lunch you had yesterday; think about the lunches you had in school. While most school lunches in the U.S. are pretty similar, if you were to visit another country, you would see that most countries have a variety of lunches. This article compares and contrasts the different types of school lunches found around the world and the reasons that make them different.
Most school lunches in the United States consist of a balanced meal of meat, vegetables, carbohydrates, dessert, and a drink. Although many European and South American countries also consist of balanced meals, some variety does exist. For example, South Americans often focus more on eating meat and carbohydrates with their school lunches while Europeans often use fish as a substitute for meat. In Italy, for example, most schools make their lunches with ingredients grown nearby, and only eat meat a couple of times a week.
Meanwhile, in India, there are a lot more vegetarian options, given that beef is considered sacred. Common school lunches in India include fruit, vegetables, bread, curry, and sweet rice as a dessert.
Countries such as Japan and China are also large consumers of fish and rice. While some schools provide Americanized meals for their students, most school lunches consist of fish and a base of noodles or rice.
In Kenya, on the other hand, a common school lunch is an avocado. Because avocados contain mostly fat, they are very nutritious in areas where food is scarce. Avocados are also known for their high amount of potassium, providing a nutritious solution for children in need.
Now that you have seen a few examples of the different types of school lunches around the world, do you have any stories to share with us about your own school lunches? Feel free to share your stories with us in the comments section below!
