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Americans React to What School Lunch Looks Like Around The World

Reacting To My Roots

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In this video, we react to what school lunch looks like in 23 different countries around the world! From the US and UK to France, Japan, Italy, Nigeria and so many others, we were shocked at just how amazing the lunches are in so many countries compared to what we're used to.

In our experience, school lunches here in the US have been highly processed, so seeing kids in so many countries being served meals that looked like they were actually cooked from scratch with whole ingredients was pretty eye opening. We couldn't help but feel a little jealous! Let us know what school lunches were like where you grew up and which country you think had the best food! 👇

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🎦 Original Video:
What School Lunch Looks Like Around The Wo...

20 Comments

@Peterblythe-o6c 4 days ago

I saw an instagram earlier this month of an American mum who has just moved to London with her husband and two sets of twins, ages six and 11. They posted from their pre-term tour of the state high school and were amazed at the array of fresh food on display and the menu available to the kids. She later posted how she ordered the next day meal choices for her younger primary school twins via an app. There were several choices, all fresh. The added bonus is that the younger kids get free meals in England. Understandably, mum was very impressed.

@claregodfrey2026 4 days ago

In the UK kids usually get about an hour for lunch but in France they can get 2 hours!

@jamielee9350 4 days ago

How many oldies on here like me loved the pink and the green custard we got in the 1960's in the UK ?

@jacquelinepearson2288 4 days ago

I noticed the substantial lunch given to French school children. The French are serious about their food. They don't just grab a quick sandwich for lunch. It's part of their culture to take their time whilst dining, even at lunch-time.

@KGardner01010 3 days ago

Typically, in the UK that's only 1 days option during the week - they have to alternate with various meals during the week to stop it from becoming boring to the kids . . . and also remember that like most European and Asian countries, the food being used is also more naturally organic, too . . .

@t.a.k.palfrey3882 4 days ago

There's a 10 minute video made by a US news channel about the experience of one of its correspondents based in Paris with a kindergarten aged child. It features the unique way French schools approach school lunches. It's a real eye-opener for any American.

@Spoon_Loves_Chocolate 4 days ago (edited)

England here:
School lunch, specifically at secondary school were ordinarily full meals with rice and beans and meat, or lasagna portions. Lots of vegetable options too. Optional sandwich alternatives. But as a custom, every Friday was fish and chips day/ pizza (you choose between either pizza or fish). It's been like that for every school and college institution I've been to as well.

@merlynphillips7502 4 days ago

one of our top chefs went to schools and gave advice to schools on healthy lunches which is why our schools have good healthy food and yes it does make them more alert

@scotmax8426 4 days ago

In my primary school (primary 1 to 7) ages 5 -11ish we had dinner monitors, I was one in primary 6 and 7, this meant you sat at the head of a table with another 8 children, all from primary 1 - 3 and the point was to teach table manners and cutlery skills, either helping the really young ones to cut their food or just to gently remind them how to hold their cutlery. It was a great system. All the food was fresh and cooked in our kitchens and all the scraps were collected by a local farmer to feed his pigs :D

@Ukhome-s4p 4 days ago

I loved school dinners in the 50s and 60s all real food. And sometimes you got seconds

@MattHowell-o8z 4 days ago

Lunch in the UK at school and at work is normally 45 - 60 mins.

@carolgerrard6055 1 day ago (edited)

I grew up in a small market town in the 1960’s. At my high school there was at least three choices plus a salad option everyday. Everything was cooked from scratch, meat came from the local butchers, vegetables were grown on site, every class had a lesson period each week to work in the school garden.

There was a full roast dinner option everyday with the appropriate accompaniments e.g Mint sauce with lamb, Horseradish with beef, Apple sauce with pork. My favourite was always a roast dinner and the homemade Viennese Whirls with custard for pudding.

@TracyMorris13 1 day ago

We’re Welsh and lived in France for a few years in the Auvergne…check out Puy de dome! Our son is 30 now and went to school there and he still talks about lunch there which was 3 courses and was fresh, fresh, fresh. It was brought to the school in a little van every day as they cooked it down in a kitchen and brought it up to the school which was at about 700m. They had about an hour and a half for lunch every day. Good times! ❤

@Amy-fx5co 4 days ago

You should look into Japan school meals they are insane there are not aloud any process food at all not even things like stock or sauces, everything must be fresh, the people who prepare the food have to be Licensed Cooks who have studied at and graduate from a prefecture-approved culinary training school. Its no joke the meals are highly nutritious. the children then serve the food to each other and then have to clean away all the plates and bowls. I wish every school took it that seriously

@yvonnejamieson2499 4 days ago

My kid gets an hour lunch along with 2 15min breaks here in Scotland

@helvete983 4 days ago

Teachers in Norway are legally required to speak to and eventually report parents if a child frequently arrives at school with no food or poor quality lunches such as processed snacks etc.
So the parents are held accountable for not providing nutritious lunches.

@dianeknight4839 4 days ago

I liked Friday lunch, it was always Fish and dessert was Chocolate sponge with Chocolate custard. We did not have Canteen style lunch, we had a proper dining room with allocated tables (of 8 plus a member of staff) . Not only were we eating a balanced meal but learning table manners.

@betsy9022 4 days ago

80s school dinners in London. Chips with EVERYTHING! Sausages, burgers, nuggets. My favourite were the soggy (oven baked) fish fingers, and i still like them like that to this day 😂

@steverpcb 4 days ago

Junior school dinners in the UK 60's put me off them for life, whole coli-flower mashed up, liver and bacon casserole with 1 rasher per table, rock hard butter-beans in stew, I changed to take my own sandwiches !