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School meal

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American schoolchildren eating hot school lunches (1941)

A school meal is a meal, typically lunch, provided to students at school by the government. Trends, nutritional values and economics have all played roles in shaping each program. Marketing and a push for healthier meals are two major contributions to the program this decade.

School meals by country

Africa:

United Kingdom

See also: Free school meal

In the areas. In 1944 it was made compulsory for local authorities to provide school dinners, with legal nutritional requirements. Free school meals were available to children with families on very low incomes.[1] As a result, staple traditional "school dinner" foods became embedded in the national psyche from the 1950s onwards. "School puddings" in particular refers to desserts traditionally (historically) served with school dinners, in both state schools and private schools. Examples include tarts such as gypsy tart and Manchester tart and hot puddings such as spotted dick and treacle sponge pudding.[2]

In the 1980s Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government ended entitlement to free meals for thousands of children, and obliged local authorities to open up provision of school meals to competitive tender. This was intended to reduce the cost of local-authority-provided school meals, but caused an enormous drop in the standard of food being fed to children. A 1999 survey by the Medical Research Council suggested that despite rationing, children in 1950 had healthier diets than their counterparts in the 1990s, with more nutrients and lower levels of fat and sugar.[3]

This became a major topic of debate in 2004 when chef Jamie Oliver spearheaded a campaign to improve the quality of school meals. School dinners at state schools during this time had normally been made by outside caterers. The schools sold a lot of deep-fried fast-food like chips, fried turkey nuggets, pizza and pies. After the programme was shown on Channel 4 (Jamie's School Dinners), the public showed support for the increase of funding for school meals, causing the government to create the School Food Trust. The topic became a factor in the 2005 UK general election. Some parents opposed Oliver and the move by government to alter children's diets, and scenes of parents passing hot-dogs and hamburgers and chips through school fences was seen.[citation needed]

Finland

Typical Finnish school lunch served free of charge to all pupils

Free school dinners in elementary and secondary schools have been served nationwide since October 9, 1948.[4] In some cities poor people were offered free school dinners from the beginning of the 20th century (e.g. from 1902 in Kuopio, extending to all students in 1945).[5]

In Finland also the lunches in Higher Education (universities, polytechnics etc.) are subsidized. The Social Insurance Institution of Finland compensates 1,84 euros per student's daily meal.[6] The meals served are to be as healthy and nutritionally balanced as possible.

Normally, the lunch is prepared like a buffet, where pupils serve themselves as much as they want (mainly potatoes/rice/pasta, meat/fish, different kind of soups and vegetables). Bread selection is usually consisted of white bread, rye bread and crisp bread. Milk, buttermilk and water are usually offered as drinks.

Special diets based on religious, cultural or ethical choices or restrictions due to allergies are served with no extra cost.

Sweden

School dinner has been free in Swedish elementary and secondary schools since 1973. Normally, the lunch is prepared like a buffet, where pupils serve themselves as much as they want (mainly potatoes/rice, meat/fish and vegetables). Milk and water are usually offered as drinks.[citation needed]

France

In France, lunch is considered the most important meal of the day. Students can get lunch at school or go home for lunch. Lunch is one to two hours long. In France, French students are taught to take time to savor and enjoy their meals.[7] Students have to pay for the cafeteria lunch (the cost of the meal differs in different regions). The price of a meal is based on family income and students have to pay for half for the meal, while the school pays for the rest. For example, a typical meal may cost $6, with the family paying $3 instead of the full price.[8]

In the 1970's, the French government began to take steps to improve school lunch. The government guidelines for French schools dates back to 1971. The 1971 food recommendation guideline stated that each meal should contain raw vegetables (such as salads and fruits), protein in the form of dairy product or milk, cooked vegetables twice per week, and carbohydrates for the remaining days.[8] The 2001 food recommendation guideline, signed by the minister for national education, stated that the school lunches must be healthy and balanced. The guideline stated that there should be very little fat in the menu and meals must contain vitamins and minerals. Menus are posted for parents and the menu varies each day. The main course must contain meat, fish or eggs. [7]

The cafeteria serves up five course meals, even for preschoolers.[9] Schoolkids eat the same thing as adults.[10] A school lunch in France contains: an appetizer, salad, main course, cheese plate, and dessert.[9] Bread may be accompanied with each meal. Students eat potato leek soup, carrot and bean salad, lamb with saffron, assortment of cheeses, and grapefruit. Each meal is accompanied with water. French schools do not have vending machines.[11]

Asia

China

See also Education in the People's Republic of China

India

Where did my cow go? I need to find my cow before he makes de babys!!! He made love with a chicken, or was it a rooster I don;t know I need you to find my cow, and the cows name is Vincete.

Japan

In Japan, the tables are set and cleaned by the students.

In Japan, 99% of elementary school students and 82% of junior high school students eat kyūshoku, or school lunch.[12] Parents pay 250 to 300 yen per student for the cost of the ingredients, with labour costs being funded by local authorities. The tradition started in the early 20th century. After World War II which brought near-famine conditions to Japan – the provision of school lunches was re-introduced in urban areas, initially with skimmed milk powder and later flour donated by an American charity. School lunch was extended to all elementary schools in Japan in 1952 and, with the enactment of the School Lunch Law, to junior high schools in 1954.

Usually, all meals provided on a given day are identical for all pupils of a Japanese school. The menu is planned by dieticians and changes daily. The average menu has gone through a large deal of change since the basic meals of the 1950s, as Japan grew economically.

School lunches were traditionally based on bread or bread roll, bottled or cartoned milk (introduced from 1958 to replace milk powder), a dessert, and a dish which changed daily. Popular dishes from the early days included inexpensive protein sources, such as stewed bean dishes and fried white fish. Whale meat, another cheap protein, was common until the 1970s. Provisions of rice were introduced in 1976, following a surplus of (government-distributed) Japanese rice, and became increasingly frequent during the 1980s. Hamburg steak, stew and Japanese curry became staples as well. Today, school lunches are a diverse affair, including soup and side dishes. Dishes range from Asian dishes such as naengmyeon, tom yam and ma po tofu to western dishes such as spaghetti, stew and clam chowder. yao ming

Iran

In the 1960s, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had intended a non-violent regeneration of Iranian society through economic and social reforms called White Revolution, with the ultimate long-term aim of transforming Iran into a global economic and industrial power. The White Revolution consisted of 19 elements that were introduced over a period of 15 years, with the first 6 introduced in 1963 and put to a national referendum on January 26, 1963. In 1975 the Shah started a program for Free and Compulsory Education and a daily free meal for all children from kindergarten to 14 years of age. It provided free milk (1/3 pint) in schools to all children in Iran as well as pistachios, fresh fruit, and biscuits.

Malaysia

In most Malaysian schools, students eat in a canteen where they purchase food and drinks from different vendors. The choice of cuisine available in school canteens are usually Malay, Chinese, and Indian with varieties of rice, noodles, and breads to choose from. The common find in the average Malaysian school canteen are varieties of Nasi Lemak, Nasi Goreng, Chicken Rice, Popiah, and Laksa. The food and drinks in the canteens are sold at reduced prices to students. Underprivileged students can apply for the free-food program which, depending on the school, is either sponsored by the schools' respective parent-teacher associations, or by the education ministry. [13]

South Korea

School lunches in South Korea include traditional dishes. Rice, soup, and kimchi are served daily. In some old schools, the students set and clean the table.

A South Korean school lunch

Singapore

School meals in most primary and secondary schools, and junior colleges, are provided in each school's canteen (or tuckshop). The canteens are made up of a number of stalls selling a variety of cuisine as well as beverages. Meals in the school canteens are of a lower price compared to similar meals in public food centres in Singapore.[citation needed] To cater to the variety of races, religions and cultures in Singapore, school meals often offer a range of cuisines like Chinese, Indian, Malay and Western food. There is always at least one halal stall in each canteen.

To encourage healthier eating habits among kids, the Health Promotion Board of Singapore launched the Healthy Eating in Schools Programme which gives out an award to schools which serve healthy school meals. This includes cutting down on the sugar content in drinks and desserts, cutting down on deep-fried and fatty food, and including two servings of greens in the meals. [14]

Americas

Canada

Canada has no national school meal program,[15][16] and elementary schools are usually not equipped with kitchen facilities. Parents are generally expected to provide a packed lunch for their child to take to school,[17] or have their child return home for the duration of the lunch period. However, some non-profit organizations dedicated to student nutrition programs do exist.[18][19]

United States

Main article: Government provided school meals in the United States
Recipient of the School Lunch Program in 1936.

The National School Lunch Program was created in 1946 when President Truman signed the National School Lunch Act into law. The National School Lunch Program is a federal nutrition assistance program operating in over 101,000 public and non-profit private schools and residential care institutions. Regulated and administered at the federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it currently provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to more than 31 million U.S. children each school day.

In its 60-year history, the program has expanded. It now includes the School Breakfast Program, the Snack Program, a Child and Adult Care Feeding Program and the Summer Food Service Program. At the State level, the National School Lunch Program is usually administered by State education agencies, who operate the program through agreements with school food authorities.

Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and public or nonprofit private residential child care institutions may or may not participate in the school lunch program. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the lunch program get cash minimal subsidies and donated commodities from the USDA for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children. School food authorities can also be reimbursed for snacks served to children through age 18 in after-school educational or enrichment programs.

School lunches must meet the applicable recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which state that no more than 30 percent of an individual's calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also establish a standard for school lunches to provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories. School lunches must meet Federal nutrition requirements over the course of one week's worth of lunches served, but decisions about what specific foods to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school food authorities.

See also

General:

References

  1. ^ Porridge to Pizza, a history of school dinners
  2. ^ British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay discusses school puddings as comfort food in the on-line (London) Times newspaper.
  3. ^ Derek Gillard, 'Food for Thought: child nutrition, the school dinner and the food industry', [www.dg.dial.pipex.com/educ25.shtml]
  4. ^ TV Newscast 2008-10-09, MTV3 channel
  5. ^ 1872: Daily life in Schools: Free School dinner in Kuopio. City of Kuopio, 1997.
  6. ^ Kela's information on meal subsidy(in Finnish). Retrieved September 10, 2012
  7. ^ a b "Sandwiches, Mais Non". The Age (Australia). November 17, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  8. ^ a b "School Meals Around the World". The Guardian (UK). March 30, 2005. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  9. ^ a b "School Lunches in France: Nursery-School Gourmets". Time.com. February 23, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  10. ^ "School Lunches Around the World". AOL Kitchen Daily. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  11. ^ "School Dinners Around the World". BBC (UK). March 12, 2005. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  12. ^ Investigations about school dinner 学校給食実施状況調査, 文部科学省, 2004 (in Japanese)
  13. ^ Ministry of Education Malaysia's Official Portal - The Supplementary Food Programme
  14. ^ http://www.hpb.gov.sg/programmes/article.aspx?id=3088
  15. ^ http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/Education/article/709051 Toronto Star, Students lack healthy food options
  16. ^ Canada's Children Need a National Nutrition Program
  17. ^ http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/kitchen-cuisine/school-lunch_repas-ecole-eng.php Health Canada: Be Food Allergy Aware When Packing School Lunches
  18. ^ breakfastforlearning.ca
  19. ^ schoollunch.ca

Further reading

  • Levine, Susan. School Lunch Politics: The Surprising History of America's Favorite Welfare Program (2010) excerpt and text search
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