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School lunch is an important part of the students’ day. It provides a much-needed break from the classroom and an opportunity to refuel. However, the quality and variety of the menu can vary greatly depending on which part of the globe we look at.
Some schools, for example, have been trying to improve the nutritional value of their lunches by adding more fruits and veggies, reducing the amount of processed foods, and offering options for eaters with dietary restrictions. These efforts can help ensure students get what they need to stay active and focused. On the other hand, some schools still serve meals that are high in fat, sugar, and sodium, which can contribute to obesity and other health problems.
Which Countries Have The Best School Lunches In The World
To see who is on the right track and who is lagging, we at Bored Panda decided to expand on our previous publication on school lunches from around the world and put together a new collection of pictures that vividly illustrate the situation, courtesy of the subreddit r/pics. Enjoy photos of real school lunches around the world, and share a photo of a typical school lunch in your country in the comments below!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Free School Lunch In Stockholm, Sweden
RELATED:
#2
An Example Of A Swedish (Free) School Lunch. Fried Salmon, Fried Potatoes In Herbs, Honey Roasted Vegetables With Chèvre
Fluffy mommy panda 2 years ago
Damn that a lot compared the last few I've seen. Why can't American treat kids better it such b******t
#3
Chilbo High School Lunch (Free - South Korea)
#4
My Korean School Lunch! Pork Cutlet, Blood Sausage Soup, And Assorted Banchan
#5
Pics From Some Schools In Korea Known For Having Best School Lunches
Sweden
One of the hottest pictures on this list comes from Stockholm, Sweden. Its author, Redditor Cool_Kalkon, told Bored Panda that their school usually serves different types of stews, complementing it with chicken or beef, but there are vegetarian options, too.
“The quality [of our lunch] is really good considering the budget they have,” Cool_Kalkon explained to us. “The food is always healthy and mostly cooked from raw ingredients in school. They even got a vegetarian alternative every day and a salad bar.”
Cool_Kalkon said they don't know how the lunches could be improved because they’re satisfied with the food. But if they were to come up with something, they would probably “cut down on the number of stews and have a bit more variety in the menu.”
However, the Redditor pointed out that their picture doesn't represent the whole country of Sweden. “There are schools with much worse food and also schools with much better,” they said. “But, all in all, I think it’s fantastic that we are able to get a healthy meal on our plate every day without having to pay.”
#6
$3 School Lunch: North Georgia
Headless Roach 2 years ago
My first thought too. Nothing but carbs, very unhealthy meal for a kid
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Nitka Tsar 2 years ago (edited)
Assuming this is Georgia USA and not Georgia Europe: Hey! The Internet has lied to me! They said the US had only fries, nuggets, hamburgers and pizza for lunch! I feel betrayed! (It‘s a joke)
Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
Yeah, I was wondering if this was the European country or the state in the U.S.
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Rae The Elf 2 years ago
I PAY THE SAME PRICE A FEW STATES OVER AND MY LUNCH IS 3 CHICKEN NUGGETS, AN ORANGE, AND A CHOCOLATE MILK
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
Dude. That’s not ok. I hope it gets better, that sucks. You should at least get what you goddamned pay for, that’s insane.
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hi myself, gay weirdo🇺🇦️ 2 years ago
If it is the state, I live near atlanta and it really isn’t that good. It used to be, but the budgeting went down and now it is really bad, everyone agrees. I’m pretty sure a kid even got food poisoning once from the food.
the fallen soufflé 2 years ago
I live in Atlanta too and it’s pretty bad, like really unhealthy and also gross. At least this one looks tasty…
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Anta Babb 2 years ago
I'm confused as to where they intend that soy sauce to go. In the rice? The potatoes? The salad??!
Tiara Taylor 2 years ago
I like how they make Georgia look like we have nice school lunches for our children they really don't. Just this year they couldn't even feed the kids because quote on quote the shipment of food got lost at sea 😕 they gave the kids some yogurt and gronola for lunch because that's all the could give them
Jessica S. 2 years ago
Ok, I retract my earlier comment about all US school lunches. This looks delicious!
Brittany Williams 2 years ago (edited)
Okay I went to high school in Georgia like 15 years ago and the two best things at lunch were cheesy bread sticks and the chewy chocolate chip cookies.
Belle Miles 2 years ago
The salad is all you can eat. The measurements and food options are required to be put on the plate. But at least it's not that NASTY sh*t they had before Michelle had her way with it. I went to have lunch with my second grader and could not recognize the "So Called" chicken in the sandwich. Shudder.
Alison Hell 2 years ago
This is all just 'filler' food. Some fried stuff, lettuce, mac n cheese...strawberries with sugar. Whilst this is better than nothing, theres not a whole lot of nutrition here. The one tomato is the healthiest thing here.
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
I apologize for my ignorance, but what are all the packages? Are they sauces and a drink?
Andrevious14 2 years ago
Weird, my school lunch is s**t compared to that, and I also live in north Georgia
Wilhelmina Mundell 2 years ago
I worked in an elementary school lunch room in NW Georgia and I have NEVER saw a lunch like that
Lady of the Mountains 2 years ago
Georgia has different rules than my state, cuz I see 3 veggie servings and 1 fruit serving, we are only allowed 2 veggie and 2 fruit
2CentSally 2 years ago
Man, I grew up in KS and we literally had chicken nuggets 3x a week. In different shapes of course. And there was NEVER salad, until middle school you could choose a salad as a lunch alternative but it cost more
SeVeRuS sNaPe 2 years ago
I've had the strawberries. Best strawberries I've tasted in my life.
Lara Verne 2 years ago (edited)
It doesn't look particularly healthy, but it sure does look good.
Fantastic Mr Fox 2 years ago
People ask: Georgia the state or Georgia the country? All food items with English text, so I say the state.
Lululoohoo 2 years ago
Looks way better than the prepackaged frozen c**p they give the kids here in CA
Leanne Hailes 2 years ago
Wow! How wonderful! Where I live i pay $8:50 for a couple handfuls of Strawberries 😕
sofacushionfort 2 years ago
The map of the state of Georgia resembles the torso of a typical Georgian.
#7
My Korean School Lunch!! Free For All Students
#8
School Lunch In California (Free)
Mani Lacao 2 years ago (edited)
I like how NYC and California have very different takes on children nutrition
#9
School Lunch In South Korea
#10
School Lunch Oregon ~free
Japan
On the other side of the globe, we have another Redditor, Sjbfujcfjm, representing the city of Takatsuki in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Their picture reveals what the country’s younger kids (2-6 years old) are having. A staff member at White Rose Kindergarten, Sjbfujcfjm told Bored Panda that “Daily lunches usually consist of a portion of meat (fish being a popular option), a vegetable, rice, soup and something sweet like an apple or orange slice or fruit jelly.”
“The quality is quite good,” the Redditor added. “All of the teachers have the option to eat the school lunch, and we do each day. We have a chef and his crew of 4-5 come in daily to prepare the meals. A few times a month, they prepare a special lunch featuring foods from a specific region of Japan.”
However, they would like to see more meals featuring food from other countries. “We sometimes have dishes or sides from China or Korea. But I’d like to see a wider variety,” Sjbfujcfjm said.
#11
Looks Like School Lunches Are Making The Rounds Here Again: United States, Public Middle School
#12
Typical School Lunch In South Korea
#13
New York City School Lunch
Random Stuff 2 years ago
I think this is the best school lunch from the US I've seen in this list so far
#14
School Lunch From My Country. Where Am I? What Do Kids Eat Where You Are?
#15
School Lunch In Thailand, 25 Baht. About .75 USD
#16
School Lunch At A Kindergarten In Japan (Bonus Bentos)
#17
School Lunch For Elementary Kids In Korea
#18
My Korean School Lunch (That Students Get For Free)! Beef Noodle Soup And Various Banchan!
#19
School Lunch In Japan. The Christmas Edition
Aaron Jimenez 2 years ago
International school food puts US food to shame by such a large amount its not even funny
#20
I See Your School Lunch And I Raise You A Dinner On A Us Navy Ship
What Food Should Best School Lunches Include?
To contextualize these pictures, we can take a look at the 2021 study by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation that looked into the “food basket” — a fundamental element of any school meal program — of 139 countries.
Grains/cereals were the most common food category (served in 87% of programs), followed by oil (78%) and legumes (75%). Fruits and vegetables (63-65%) were less common, and animal-source foods were served least often—though there was a high degree of variation across income groups. Poultry, for example, was served in 69% of programs in high-income settings but just 5% of programs in low-income settings.
The gap was even larger for fruits, which were served in 97% and 22.5% of programs in high and low-income settings, respectively—a difference of 74.5 percentage points.
In high-income settings, children received an average of 8.3 different food categories, while this value dropped to 7.1, 6.5, and 5.2 in upper middle-income, lower middle-income, and low-income settings, respectively. Across regions, this value was the greatest in South Asia/East Asia/Pacific and the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
#22
Free School Lunch UK
Cecilia Bragg 2 years ago
It's been 40 yrs since I had a school lunch but I'm tickled to see the sponge cake and custard hasn't changed 😀
#23
Chinese Elementary/Primary School Lunches
#24
School Lunch In Okayama Prefecture, Japan
#25
Australian School Lunch
#26
My Korean School Lunch! Handmade Duck Steaks, Beef And Radish Soup, And Assorted Banchan
thatlesbiantacocat 2 years ago
What is Banchan? (I'm stupid, must be the school lunch my school serves)
#27
So This Is What An Average School Lunch Looks Like For High Schoolers In Germany
#28
What A Week Of (Free) School Lunches Look Like In Thailand [oc]
You Should Do Nothing with the Fence 2 years ago
It is certainly artfully displayed and photographed.
#29
I See Your Finnish School Lunch And Raise You My South Korean School Lunch
#30
Typical School Lunch In South Korea
Random Stuff 2 years ago
Looks like South Korea really does have the best school lunches on this list. Good work South Korea!
What Affects School Lunches Around the World?
Across all regions and income groups, market purchases were the most common method through which school meal programs procured food.
These purchases primarily occurred in domestic markets, though 38% of programs purchased at least some food from foreign countries. In-kind contributions from foreign and domestic settings were much less common at 23% and 21%, respectively, and were primarily reported by programs operating in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
Because of this, after inflation popped in 2022 to a level unseen in decades, many schools are now forced to spend way more to feed their students. In the US, for example, the price of a meal at elementary and secondary schools spiked by a whopping 305%.
#31
School Lunch In America Since We’re Posting School Lunches
#32
Have Seen A Few Of These Today, Here Is My American School Lunch
Edda Kamphues 2 years ago
There is a significant lack of colour. Vegetables and fruit provide colour. This is a deep fried mess with some even messier mash and some corn for good measure.
#33
Vermont School Lunch
#34
Elementary School Lunch Japan
#35
School Lunch: Pork Roll Egg N Cheese, Potataos, Lima Beans, Mozzarella Salad, Zeppoles. All For $3
#36
Lunch + Breakfast At My School. (Seasia-- Seriously, Wtf Is Going Wrong With American School Lunch)
#37
Now, If You Had This For School Lunch, It Was A Peak Lunch Day
#38
Elementary School Lunch In South Korea
#40
This Is A Local School Lunch That A School In The Us Served
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine created an energy supply shock, contributing to higher transport costs to deliver food from farm to table. That, combined with other factors such as higher labor costs, underpin fast-rising prices throughout the food complex.
The industry is really interdependent, too. For instance, global shocks in major markets for vegetable oil — a key ingredient in margarine — drove margarine prices up by 43.8% in 2022. Prices for commodities such as soybean, palm, sunflower, and rapeseed (also known as canola) oil tend to move together, meaning a supply disruption for one tends to affect the whole group.
Hopefully, everything will get better in the near future, and school lunches around the world will rise to a new standard!
#41
NYC Middle School Lunch
#42
A Single Cauliflower In A Single Use Plastic Wrap From A School Lunch
#43
I See Your Korean Private School Lunches And Give You Maryland Public School Lunch
#44
American High School Lunch (Oc)
#45
Saw Someone Post Their School Lunch So I Thought I’d Share Mine… Nc United States
#46
Are We Still Doing School Lunches?
#47
School Lunches Today. Middle School & High School-Frisco, Texas
#48
School Lunch, Free In California (Not Pictured, A Red Apple)
Glen Ellyn 2 years ago
What is that?? Ick! Oh, wait. I see ketchup, so at least a "vegetable" was included. 🙄
#49
My School Lunch [oc]
#50
School Lunch At My Middle School (It Was Bad)
#51
Korean School Lunch Workers Went On A Strike - Served Bread & Milk To Kids - Accused Of Child Abuse
#52
I Guess We Are Doing School Lunches Now, So Here Is Some Green Ham At My School
#53
School Lunch In Folsom, Ca (Free)
#54
My Real School Lunch In California (Free)
#55
This Was My Lunch At An American School Since We’re Doing Photos Of School Lunches Now
#56
School Lunch In Elementary School In USA
Edda Kamphues 2 years ago
What's wrong with the sausage? It looks dead. All pre-packaged, including the peaches ... in syrup. Too much sugar and salt.
#57
Public School Lunch In Mn
#59
Middle School Lunch (Hawaii)
#60
My Wife Forgot Her Lunch Today. The School Cafeteria Kindly Gave Her, A Teacher, A School Lunch
#61
School Lunch At Public High School, Florida
#62
Average American School Lunch 2022…
#63
I See Your Beautiful, Healthy, Free Korean School Lunch And Raise You....america
#64
A School Lunch In America And Yes The Pizza Is Cold And The Crust Is Stale
#66
Us School Lunch, Not Bad But Its All I Eat From 6:30am To 6pm. Less Than 300 Calories
#67
Late To The Party But Here Is My Son’s School Lunch
#68
School Lunch From West Virginia
#69
Since We Are Sharing School Lunches And Navy Trays, I Thought I'd Share A Nice Hot Army Dinner
#70
Grilled Cheese For School Lunch (So Delicious)
#71
School Lunch, Here In Good Ol Us-Of-A
#72
Actual School Lunch 2020
#73
This Was Today’s NYC Public School Lunch
#74
I Sww Other Users Sharing Their School Lunches. Here's Mine. [oc]
![I Sww Other Users Sharing Their School Lunches. Here's Mine. [oc]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/63be712a72e0e_uap8ozve26p81__700.jpg "I Sww Other Users Sharing Their School Lunches. Here's Mine. [oc]")
#75
School Lunches? Here's My My Kids Get At High School
#76
School Lunch
#77
I See Your School Lunches And Raise You To A Different American School Lunch
#78
Saw A Pic Of School Lunch, Here's Mine, A Bag Of Chips With Non Melted Cheese
#79
I See Your Finnish, And Swedish School Lunch, And I Raise You Our USA School Lunch
#80
My School Lunch
#81
My School Lunch Patty Doesn’t Fit The Bread. Pathetic? Or Am I Just Spoiled
#82
Maryland Public School Lunch
Fluffy mommy panda 2 years ago (edited)
Now the state of Maryland has more money then to do this all these states do what are these schools doing with the money. Or whoever is suppsoe to make shore these kids eat good. You know there is saying some kids just eat what they get from school. And you know for some that is true so this makes me very sad the United States raise money for hunger and movie stars and extra donate but yet we see this. This haa got to change. Schools should get in trouble for this or whoever is over supplying the kitchen and responsible for this should get in huge trouble.
#83
I See All Of Your International Lunches And Raise You A Georgian School Lunch. 'Merica
#84
Us Public School Lunch (Florida)
#85
Elementary School Lunch In Affluent School District In Southern California
Clown fish 2 years ago (edited)
And we have found the rest of the food to make the whole meal the marine was meant to get
#86
School Lunch Romania
#87
Typical (Free) School Lunches Of My Son In One Of The Best Public School Districts In The USA
#88
Daughters Middle School Lunch
#89
My School Lunch
#90
This Is Supposed To Be An Acceptable School Lunch In Upstate New York
#91
My School Lunch Today In The U.S. (Florida)
#92
Elementary School Lunch In Socal Day 2
Lil Potato 2 years ago
'scuse me what is that brown thing? And are you telling me those are (gulp) more potatoes?
#93
School Lunch At My High School In Mid-Western America (Free)
Glen Ellyn 2 years ago
Lunches like this are why my daughter makes lunches for her two daughters. How the heck is a still growing teenager supposed to survive on this garbage?? And learn?
#94
Since We’re Posting School Lunch Now, Here Y’all Go:
#95
A Public School Lunch In Ohio
#97
#thanksmichelleobama For My School Lunch
Iustin Vreme 2 years ago
the pizza is definitely not from her - she pushed for vegetables and fruits, and it was a good idea - cheaper, stimulating the local industries and healthier. unfortunately everyone else opposed it - schools, corporations that sold pre-packaged foods made from scraps, republicans, even children themselves. and the most concerning is the opposition of the schools, that considered a too large sacrifice to spend few hours cooking. if the political debates will ever stop, you will be shocked to see how huge the social issues are, from attitude problems to efficiency and good faith.
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shawna Reich 2 years ago
that's why they have a lower obesity rate as well
Load More Replies... Mani Lacao 2 years ago
The U.S ones are nightmarish tbh, I feel for the kids. Do the parents have an actual say on the menus ? And is it more common for kids to bring their own lunch there ?
Eds 2 years ago
Kids can bring their own lunch in the US. I have a middle schooler who eats school "hot" lunch everyday ($2.75usd) and a elementary student who brings lunch from home everyday. A big problem both kids complain about is a short time to eat lunch. My youngest only gets 20 minutes.
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Rebecca Phillips-Partridge 2 years ago
Time to beat up a Korean kid and take their lunch..... Lol.....
John Ditzler 2 years ago
Dear ma'am most of the pictures in these photos are Korean schools but you have to pay to go to a school like this but you gotta admit what a nice lunch
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Lisa T 2 years ago
Most kids in Australia bring a packed lunch from home. The school canteen was more of a “treat” that kids would get like once a week.
Inge van Echelpoel 2 years ago
In belgium elementary school there wasn't provided a lunch. You had to bring your own
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Minnie Not Mouse 2 years ago (edited)
I live in the US (California) And I am in middle school. Here is a rundown of my school lunch: A mandatory fruit or vegetable. (Apples, pears, letuce, carrots, out in the open, people with their bare hands, and they are out in the open, not even refrigerated. not even sure if washed or not.) A cartoon of milk. Sometimes this milk is expired. And a main course, ussally a burrito, quesidilla, pizza, sandwich or rice and chicken. There are vegetarian options, but they have zero effort compared to the non-vegitarian. This lunch is free, and sometimes the things are expired or going bad. People have been trying to petition this for a while, but they have given up. I bring my own lunch, but sometimes I don't get enough, and I go to get a hot lunch, but I am quite disapontied honestly.
Lara Verne 2 years ago
This list first make me hungry, with pictures of amazing Korean and Swedish lunches, but as I scrolled down, it got sadder and sadder.
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
Yeah, the Korean ones were awesome. But I also ended up feeling a bit sad - and severely pìssed off on behalf of American school kids and their parents. What the hell? Feed the goddamned kids, come on; most of our civilization agrees that it’s one of the higher priorities.
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3 Trash Pandas in a Trenchcoat 2 years ago
Some kids have gotten food poisoning from the lunch at my school 😭😭😭 And to think I could have gone to a school with catered lunches had we not moved.
Snorky The Pig 2 years ago
FOOD POISONING?? from school lunch??? Suing time.
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Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
Related School Lunch Flashback: Back in the late '60s-early '70s, I went to school in Thailand for a while (parents' band played a gig at a fancy-schmancy hotel in Bangkok). We stayed on the local US Army base, buying our groceries at the PX (Post Exchange). Mum would make me a bologna sandwich every day, VERY exotic to the locals at the time, that I would then "auction" off to the kid with the most interesting looking lunch at school. All I recall now is lots of banana leaves, rice, and deliciously seasoned veggies. One day I came home with an adorable kitten, but that's another Tale on the Riverbank, lol! Good times.
Stardust she/her 2 years ago (edited)
For a list with school lunches all around the world, the US seems to be more in the list than other countries
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
Well, the US is very visible on Bored Panda - perhaps due to a high percentage of American members, if I was to take a guess. That’s pretty reasonable, as a rule people are most comfortable talking about their own reality - it’s the only one you can refer to with much accuracy. Makes sense to me.
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censorshipsucks 2 years ago
South africa: mostly stew and rice or similar. Feeding-Sc...eme-ED.jpg 
Andrew Good 2 years ago (edited)
In hungary I usually get a chicken broth soup with carrots and sometimes small noodles. Along with that I get pasta, potatoes, or rice with pörkölt on top (traditional stew). It often varies, but that is the most common meal.
Tan 2 years ago
India also has free school lunches, and while it isn't the best looking or the most nutritious, it's a hundred percent better than US school lunches. In South India, it's usually rice+ some roasted seasoned veggies+ lentil soup with veggies. :) Or you might get roti (wheat bread) with some kind of vegetable gravy/curry added to the meal.
Sami-Jo Ross 2 years ago
I see those nice lunches from other countries and I'm reminded of the lady who claimed providing food for kids at school is communism.
lil bear bear 2 years ago
America really needs to take notes from South Korea. I took screenshots of the Korean school lunches so me and my sister can make it at home (or try at least)
ConstantConstance 2 years ago
Some of these look amazing (mostly the free ones, which you wouldn't expect) and some (all from the US as far as I can tell) look nightmarish
talliloo 2 years ago
i remember when the lunch ladies actually cooked meals. this was back in the 70s-80s. when they started offering breakfast it was quick things like cold cereal, juice, milk and the occasional hot cereal. but, they would arrive very early to make the lunch meal with 'real' food. now, most of it is prepped at a central kitchen and just warmed up at the school and it looks like frozen type meals. for all i know it is frozen meals that are just purchased for the school.
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
I live in the us (maryland) and the food is so bad. its one of the best counties and im gonna be in one of the best high schools in the country next year. we get served barely edible stuff. and the worst part? ITS NOT EVEN FREE! they make us pay for that s**t.
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
my friend got a corn dog and bit into it and it was rubber and greyish pink. (virginia)
Lord Mysticlaw 2 years ago
I'm just genuinely curious, at the schools where they serve all the lovely veggies, do the kids actually eat it? I'm pretty sure mine wouldn't. And also, my kid wasn't a picky eater until they started going to school and saw all the other kids being picky about their food, so I know it's not just mine. Especially the young kids.
Yali-girl with weird name 2 years ago
Honestly…most countries serve good food except for good ol ‘murica
Just_for_this 2 years ago
Visual representation of how much your government hates you. coming from the country that needed a premier league footballer to tell it's Tory dictators to feed starving kids through covid.
Old Roadie 2 years ago
I feel the need to apologize to my country's children for the absolute trash that's passing for lunch in our schools.
harold gelnaw 2 years ago
Why is it that we spend more money on politicians then we do our school systems? No wonder the average IQ in the United States is 85
Alison Lover 2 years ago
Glad to see nothing has changed with school lunches in the USA since I was in school. Lol geez so pathetic.
Ches Yamada 2 years ago
Why is it always chocolate milk in the states?! Am I really that different to not like it and prefer actual milk????
Shayla Katherina 2 years ago
Probably because whoever took the picture chose it. You can choose plain, too.
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Christian Carruthers 10 months ago
New Zealand in the news today , a disappointing roll out of our conservative governments new school food program . 475928427_...e21ded.jpg 
joansrant@yahoo.ca 2 years ago
As is often said, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The same is true here. Someone paid for that lunch (ie - taxpayer).
Verlee Owens 2 years ago
Please add a typical Midwest school lunch: chili, cinnamon roll, carrot sticks, and milk.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
My niece in law is the "lunch lady" at a grade school in Walla Walla, WA. She petitioned to get a student tended vegetable garden, which they approved. She takes feeding her "littles" very seriously and experiments with all kinds of different dishes, in her off hours and on her own dime.
Mary Pigott 2 years ago
In the late 70s, early 80s, our high school cafeteria had soggy French fries cooked in old, dirty grease(fries always dark brown), and hamburgers that made McDonald's look gourmet, and none of it was free...
Skorm Carter 2 years ago
Can wholely confirm how bad the U.S. lunches are. In fact, the examples here were gourmet compared to what I got in school. One school I went to used the same company that some prisons use to feed inmates.
BethAnne Rogers 2 years ago
When I was in first grade my family lived a wealthy neighborhood because of my Dad’s job. I live in the USA BTW. Anyway, the from what I remember there were a lot of lunch choices everyday. There were different stations with different foods and you could go and to the one with the food you wanted and get it. When I moved to second grade I also moved schools. This school only had two lunch choices everyday. Everyone stood in a single line to get their lunch. I think I adapted quickly, but in hindsight I think it is interesting how different they were. These were both public schools.
Kim Lorton 2 years ago
If the US would spend more money on schools, education of our children and teachers, and what the kids are being fed, we would be much better off! So, would the kids!
shawna Reich 2 years ago
yes the us can learn ALOT from these other countries. I remember my school lunches were chicken, pizza, cheese fries just fried or greasy stuff and maybe an apple. That is not a lunch young adults need especially lunch. This will leave your kid sluggish, no energy and tired. you wonder why they can't focus in school after eating that? need more healthier stuff on those plates. Obesity and depression can start young, please feed them kids healthier
Bi-Polar Express 2 years ago
Lunch in the US is very different dependent on state and district. I have to assume other whole countries have the same discrepancies. In CA we have to provide choices on entrees and drinks as well as a salad bar with fruits and vegetables. We also provide free meals to all students.
Katie Hertig 2 years ago
I will add for the U.S. that the country is much bigger and it's harder to get fresh foods like they do in Korea or Japan. But there is definitely a lack of fruits and veggies in American lunches.
Hume 2 years ago
All I'm suddenly realising is how school lunches seem to be a normal thing, even a complained about thing, in many countries, yet here in South Africa we haven't heard of the concept of a school lunch. Either your parent pack in lunch for you, like a sandwich, or you just go without eating (like I did).
pp horrendous 2 years ago
one time in like 3rd grade i ate school lunch that had a piece of plastic in it but I took it out and ate it anyways bc it was my only food. Got so sick I threw up twice&had to miss my camping trip. yes i live in america
crowspectre 2.0 (he/they) 2 years ago
Since I never have time to make myself lunch in the morning I usually dont eat cause school lunch is disgusting. I've been trying to get out of this habit cause my band is 5th period and it's hard to play on an empty stomach
zero bandito 2 years ago
Some of the US lunches actually looked better than what we're actually given lol
Juliana Blewett 2 years ago
These kids today have it good. Back when I was in high school, we had choices of baked beans, s*** on a shingle, if we got pizza it was a weird square pizza and it was actually halfway decent, hamburgers were at least half soybean and most of the stuff was just slop. Of course this was 1984 to 1988. If you were lucky enough to drive, you could sneak out on your lunch hour and go get McDonald's or Burger King as long as you were back before the bell ring. Of course for us, depending on where your locker was, you might have an entire five full minutes to eat your lunch. Yeah they weren't very organized and TBH, I still don't think they're very organized even now.
Alison Hell 2 years ago
I dont see Canada on here...no free lunches to be had I'm thinking. I've personally never heard of it.
Dee 2 years ago (edited)
They saved the worst for last. Criminal meals. These American "meals" are bad because they're free? Glad I packed my lunch (which was also poor quality -sandwich, chips, cookie, fruit). For a while it was being stolen out of my locker as I couldn't afford to rent a school lock. I would save my money for pizza day or the large, fluffy roll (5¢!) you could smell baking in the morning!
sneksneksnek 2 years ago
People used to find plasters and things in my school's lunches , some got food poisoning , but the cooks had to go on a training course for a week so now it just looks and tastes bad instead of being dangerous
MJ 2 years ago
Indiana: kids are offered three different lunches for free all year. This post looks like these kids only took what they liked from line and left the rest. Totally biased.
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
then those are likely the most edible options
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•SIMMER• 2 years ago
At my school you just bring your own food, buy some at the canteen or go to the supermarket that's nearby. Food in the canteen changes everyday (sometimes pizza, sometimes sausage roll) but you can always buy instant noodles!
Old Roadie 2 years ago
...if you have money. American kids are often marginalized by politicians, even denying food stamps for $10 over-limit income. Food pantries struggle to provide food.
Load More Replies... Gary 2 years ago
I am not convinced by many of these and how come they manage in most cases to all be shot in the same way?
sofacushionfort 2 years ago
Notice how Korea uses stainless steel trays. USA: “our kids will turn them into weapons”
Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago
"According to the latest estimates, as many as 9 million children in the United States live in "food insecure" homes. That phrase may sound mild, but it means that those households don't have enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life." https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20estimates,to%20lead%20a%20healthy%20life.
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shawna Reich 2 years ago
that's why they have a lower obesity rate as well
Load More Replies... Mani Lacao 2 years ago
The U.S ones are nightmarish tbh, I feel for the kids. Do the parents have an actual say on the menus ? And is it more common for kids to bring their own lunch there ?
Eds 2 years ago
Kids can bring their own lunch in the US. I have a middle schooler who eats school "hot" lunch everyday ($2.75usd) and a elementary student who brings lunch from home everyday. A big problem both kids complain about is a short time to eat lunch. My youngest only gets 20 minutes.
Load More Replies... Rebecca Phillips-Partridge 2 years ago
Time to beat up a Korean kid and take their lunch..... Lol.....
John Ditzler 2 years ago
Dear ma'am most of the pictures in these photos are Korean schools but you have to pay to go to a school like this but you gotta admit what a nice lunch
Load More Replies... Lisa T 2 years ago
Most kids in Australia bring a packed lunch from home. The school canteen was more of a “treat” that kids would get like once a week.
Inge van Echelpoel 2 years ago
In belgium elementary school there wasn't provided a lunch. You had to bring your own
Load More Replies... Minnie Not Mouse 2 years ago (edited)
I live in the US (California) And I am in middle school. Here is a rundown of my school lunch: A mandatory fruit or vegetable. (Apples, pears, letuce, carrots, out in the open, people with their bare hands, and they are out in the open, not even refrigerated. not even sure if washed or not.) A cartoon of milk. Sometimes this milk is expired. And a main course, ussally a burrito, quesidilla, pizza, sandwich or rice and chicken. There are vegetarian options, but they have zero effort compared to the non-vegitarian. This lunch is free, and sometimes the things are expired or going bad. People have been trying to petition this for a while, but they have given up. I bring my own lunch, but sometimes I don't get enough, and I go to get a hot lunch, but I am quite disapontied honestly.
Lara Verne 2 years ago
This list first make me hungry, with pictures of amazing Korean and Swedish lunches, but as I scrolled down, it got sadder and sadder.
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
Yeah, the Korean ones were awesome. But I also ended up feeling a bit sad - and severely pìssed off on behalf of American school kids and their parents. What the hell? Feed the goddamned kids, come on; most of our civilization agrees that it’s one of the higher priorities.
Load More Replies... 3 Trash Pandas in a Trenchcoat 2 years ago
Some kids have gotten food poisoning from the lunch at my school 😭😭😭 And to think I could have gone to a school with catered lunches had we not moved.
Snorky The Pig 2 years ago
FOOD POISONING?? from school lunch??? Suing time.
Load More Replies... Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
Related School Lunch Flashback: Back in the late '60s-early '70s, I went to school in Thailand for a while (parents' band played a gig at a fancy-schmancy hotel in Bangkok). We stayed on the local US Army base, buying our groceries at the PX (Post Exchange). Mum would make me a bologna sandwich every day, VERY exotic to the locals at the time, that I would then "auction" off to the kid with the most interesting looking lunch at school. All I recall now is lots of banana leaves, rice, and deliciously seasoned veggies. One day I came home with an adorable kitten, but that's another Tale on the Riverbank, lol! Good times.
Stardust she/her 2 years ago (edited)
For a list with school lunches all around the world, the US seems to be more in the list than other countries
Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
Well, the US is very visible on Bored Panda - perhaps due to a high percentage of American members, if I was to take a guess. That’s pretty reasonable, as a rule people are most comfortable talking about their own reality - it’s the only one you can refer to with much accuracy. Makes sense to me.
Load More Replies... censorshipsucks 2 years ago
South africa: mostly stew and rice or similar. Feeding-Sc...eme-ED.jpg
Andrew Good 2 years ago (edited)
In hungary I usually get a chicken broth soup with carrots and sometimes small noodles. Along with that I get pasta, potatoes, or rice with pörkölt on top (traditional stew). It often varies, but that is the most common meal.
Tan 2 years ago
India also has free school lunches, and while it isn't the best looking or the most nutritious, it's a hundred percent better than US school lunches. In South India, it's usually rice+ some roasted seasoned veggies+ lentil soup with veggies. :) Or you might get roti (wheat bread) with some kind of vegetable gravy/curry added to the meal.
Sami-Jo Ross 2 years ago
I see those nice lunches from other countries and I'm reminded of the lady who claimed providing food for kids at school is communism.
lil bear bear 2 years ago
America really needs to take notes from South Korea. I took screenshots of the Korean school lunches so me and my sister can make it at home (or try at least)
ConstantConstance 2 years ago
Some of these look amazing (mostly the free ones, which you wouldn't expect) and some (all from the US as far as I can tell) look nightmarish
talliloo 2 years ago
i remember when the lunch ladies actually cooked meals. this was back in the 70s-80s. when they started offering breakfast it was quick things like cold cereal, juice, milk and the occasional hot cereal. but, they would arrive very early to make the lunch meal with 'real' food. now, most of it is prepped at a central kitchen and just warmed up at the school and it looks like frozen type meals. for all i know it is frozen meals that are just purchased for the school.
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
I live in the us (maryland) and the food is so bad. its one of the best counties and im gonna be in one of the best high schools in the country next year. we get served barely edible stuff. and the worst part? ITS NOT EVEN FREE! they make us pay for that s**t.
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
my friend got a corn dog and bit into it and it was rubber and greyish pink. (virginia)
Lord Mysticlaw 2 years ago
I'm just genuinely curious, at the schools where they serve all the lovely veggies, do the kids actually eat it? I'm pretty sure mine wouldn't. And also, my kid wasn't a picky eater until they started going to school and saw all the other kids being picky about their food, so I know it's not just mine. Especially the young kids.
Yali-girl with weird name 2 years ago
Honestly…most countries serve good food except for good ol ‘murica
Just_for_this 2 years ago
Visual representation of how much your government hates you. coming from the country that needed a premier league footballer to tell it's Tory dictators to feed starving kids through covid.
Old Roadie 2 years ago
I feel the need to apologize to my country's children for the absolute trash that's passing for lunch in our schools.
harold gelnaw 2 years ago
Why is it that we spend more money on politicians then we do our school systems? No wonder the average IQ in the United States is 85
Alison Lover 2 years ago
Glad to see nothing has changed with school lunches in the USA since I was in school. Lol geez so pathetic.
Ches Yamada 2 years ago
Why is it always chocolate milk in the states?! Am I really that different to not like it and prefer actual milk????
Shayla Katherina 2 years ago
Probably because whoever took the picture chose it. You can choose plain, too.
Load More Replies... Christian Carruthers 10 months ago
New Zealand in the news today , a disappointing roll out of our conservative governments new school food program . 475928427_...e21ded.jpg
joansrant@yahoo.ca 2 years ago
As is often said, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The same is true here. Someone paid for that lunch (ie - taxpayer).
Verlee Owens 2 years ago
Please add a typical Midwest school lunch: chili, cinnamon roll, carrot sticks, and milk.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
My niece in law is the "lunch lady" at a grade school in Walla Walla, WA. She petitioned to get a student tended vegetable garden, which they approved. She takes feeding her "littles" very seriously and experiments with all kinds of different dishes, in her off hours and on her own dime.
Mary Pigott 2 years ago
In the late 70s, early 80s, our high school cafeteria had soggy French fries cooked in old, dirty grease(fries always dark brown), and hamburgers that made McDonald's look gourmet, and none of it was free...
Skorm Carter 2 years ago
Can wholely confirm how bad the U.S. lunches are. In fact, the examples here were gourmet compared to what I got in school. One school I went to used the same company that some prisons use to feed inmates.
BethAnne Rogers 2 years ago
When I was in first grade my family lived a wealthy neighborhood because of my Dad’s job. I live in the USA BTW. Anyway, the from what I remember there were a lot of lunch choices everyday. There were different stations with different foods and you could go and to the one with the food you wanted and get it. When I moved to second grade I also moved schools. This school only had two lunch choices everyday. Everyone stood in a single line to get their lunch. I think I adapted quickly, but in hindsight I think it is interesting how different they were. These were both public schools.
Kim Lorton 2 years ago
If the US would spend more money on schools, education of our children and teachers, and what the kids are being fed, we would be much better off! So, would the kids!
shawna Reich 2 years ago
yes the us can learn ALOT from these other countries. I remember my school lunches were chicken, pizza, cheese fries just fried or greasy stuff and maybe an apple. That is not a lunch young adults need especially lunch. This will leave your kid sluggish, no energy and tired. you wonder why they can't focus in school after eating that? need more healthier stuff on those plates. Obesity and depression can start young, please feed them kids healthier
Bi-Polar Express 2 years ago
Lunch in the US is very different dependent on state and district. I have to assume other whole countries have the same discrepancies. In CA we have to provide choices on entrees and drinks as well as a salad bar with fruits and vegetables. We also provide free meals to all students.
Katie Hertig 2 years ago
I will add for the U.S. that the country is much bigger and it's harder to get fresh foods like they do in Korea or Japan. But there is definitely a lack of fruits and veggies in American lunches.
Hume 2 years ago
All I'm suddenly realising is how school lunches seem to be a normal thing, even a complained about thing, in many countries, yet here in South Africa we haven't heard of the concept of a school lunch. Either your parent pack in lunch for you, like a sandwich, or you just go without eating (like I did).
pp horrendous 2 years ago
one time in like 3rd grade i ate school lunch that had a piece of plastic in it but I took it out and ate it anyways bc it was my only food. Got so sick I threw up twice&had to miss my camping trip. yes i live in america
crowspectre 2.0 (he/they) 2 years ago
Since I never have time to make myself lunch in the morning I usually dont eat cause school lunch is disgusting. I've been trying to get out of this habit cause my band is 5th period and it's hard to play on an empty stomach
zero bandito 2 years ago
Some of the US lunches actually looked better than what we're actually given lol
Juliana Blewett 2 years ago
These kids today have it good. Back when I was in high school, we had choices of baked beans, s*** on a shingle, if we got pizza it was a weird square pizza and it was actually halfway decent, hamburgers were at least half soybean and most of the stuff was just slop. Of course this was 1984 to 1988. If you were lucky enough to drive, you could sneak out on your lunch hour and go get McDonald's or Burger King as long as you were back before the bell ring. Of course for us, depending on where your locker was, you might have an entire five full minutes to eat your lunch. Yeah they weren't very organized and TBH, I still don't think they're very organized even now.
Alison Hell 2 years ago
I dont see Canada on here...no free lunches to be had I'm thinking. I've personally never heard of it.
Dee 2 years ago (edited)
They saved the worst for last. Criminal meals. These American "meals" are bad because they're free? Glad I packed my lunch (which was also poor quality -sandwich, chips, cookie, fruit). For a while it was being stolen out of my locker as I couldn't afford to rent a school lock. I would save my money for pizza day or the large, fluffy roll (5¢!) you could smell baking in the morning!
sneksneksnek 2 years ago
People used to find plasters and things in my school's lunches , some got food poisoning , but the cooks had to go on a training course for a week so now it just looks and tastes bad instead of being dangerous
MJ 2 years ago
Indiana: kids are offered three different lunches for free all year. This post looks like these kids only took what they liked from line and left the rest. Totally biased.
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
then those are likely the most edible options
Load More Replies... •SIMMER• 2 years ago
At my school you just bring your own food, buy some at the canteen or go to the supermarket that's nearby. Food in the canteen changes everyday (sometimes pizza, sometimes sausage roll) but you can always buy instant noodles!
Old Roadie 2 years ago
...if you have money. American kids are often marginalized by politicians, even denying food stamps for $10 over-limit income. Food pantries struggle to provide food.
Load More Replies... Gary 2 years ago
I am not convinced by many of these and how come they manage in most cases to all be shot in the same way?
sofacushionfort 2 years ago
Notice how Korea uses stainless steel trays. USA: “our kids will turn them into weapons”
Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago
"According to the latest estimates, as many as 9 million children in the United States live in "food insecure" homes. That phrase may sound mild, but it means that those households don't have enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life." https://www.nokidhungry.org/who-we-are/hunger-facts#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20estimates,to%20lead%20a%20healthy%20life.
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