You'll be amazed at what some countries are feeding their children for lunch.
School lunch in the United States: hot dog with chili.
Americans are often criticized for their relationship with food: we’re too fat; we eat too quickly; our food is greasy and unhealthy. For the most part, that may be true, but as much as we can learn from the eating habits of other countries, it’s also important not to take our food for granted.
In a way, the school lunch provides us with a quick-and-dirty take on a given place’s culture, values and economic well-being. Take a look at these school lunches around the world and you’ll find that the United States lands somewhere between mediocre and decadent:
School lunch from the United States: Fried chicken nuggets, canned peas, potatoes.
School lunch in the United States: hot dog with chili.Buzzfeed
A decent school lunch in the United States: American-style Japanese bento box.
School lunch from Spain: local shrimp, gazpacho, fresh peppers.
School lunch from Ukraine: Mashed potatoes, sausage, borscht.Upworthy
School lunch in the UK: Potato with cheese, carrots, corn.
School lunch in Taiwan: veggies, rice, pork, tofu soup.
School lunch in Taiwan: rice, veggies, pork.
School lunch in Sweden: potatoes, cabbage, lingonberry juice.
School lunch from South Korea: fish soup, kimchi, fresh vegetables. Source: Upworthy
School lunch from South Korea: bean stew, rice, kimchi.Flickr
School lunch in South Korea: steamed cabbage, soup, pork. Source: BuzzFeed
School lunch in South Korea: kimchi, rice, soup, fried pork.
School lunch in Singapore: noodles, greens, pork, broccoli.
School lunch in Singapore: chicken, fried anchovies, omelette.
School lunch in the Philippines: lechon kawali (fried pork belly), rice.BuzzFeed
School lunch in Kenya: maize and beans.Oprah.com
School lunch in Japan: udon, fish sauces, mandarin orange.
School lunch in Japan: tofu over rice, udon.Flickr
School lunch in Japan: Western-style hot dog, soup, fries, tomato. Source: BuzzFeed
School lunch in Japan: rice, chicken, egg, mixed veggies. Source: Flickr
School lunch in Japan: pork tonkatsu, rice, udon. Source: Flickr
School lunch in Japan: Western-style spaghetti, meatballs, fries, milk. Source: BuzzFeed
School lunch from Greece: baked chicken, yogurt, stuffed grape leaves.Upworthy
School lunch from Italy: local fish, arugula, grapes. Source: Upworthy
School lunch in Italy: pasta primavera. Source: Oprah.com
School lunches from France: brie, apples, steak. Source: Upworthy
School lunch in France: steak, rice veggies. Source: Flickr
School lunch in France: artichoke, mussels, fries. Source: Flickr
School lunch from Finland: beets, carrots, pannucakku (dessert pancake). Source: Upworthy
School lunch from Brazil: Pork, rice, plantains. Source: Upworthy
At times, American meal options seem terrible -- chicken nuggets and canned peas -- but some enterprising schools and government initiatives are making an effort to bring their kids quality food with culturally-sensitive touches. Still, it's better than what kids are eating in developing countries--most are lucky to have seasoning on a bowl of plain rice.
