What School Lunches Look Like Around The World
England
Like many American students, schoolchildren in England can opt to bring a lunch from home or eat a school-prepared lunch during the midday break. According to Project Britain, the food resembles many of the dishes eaten in British homes. You'll find pork meatballs, spaghetti bolognese, beef stew, jacket potatoes (baked potatoes), salads, braised cabbage, and fish pie on the menu. School desserts can also be found in small portions in the canteen (cafeteria) — including an apple and sultana crumble, Vienesse tarts, chocolate pudding, yogurt, and sliced fruit. We might eat lunch in a British school cafeteria for the desserts alone!
Ireland
Per Sips of Coffey, most schools in Ireland do not have a canteen but rather require students to bring lunches from home and eat at their classroom desks. Students can choose to eat some of their food during a short mid-morning break or wait until the traditional midday meal. Additionally, their lunches must not require refrigeration or must be able to be eaten cold since they are not given access to a microwave. As a result, many children eat cold sandwiches or leftovers for their meals.
The Irish school system has placed limits on the foods students can eat in the classroom. Policies prohibit students from drinking soda, sweets (including candy, chocolate, or cookies), or processed foods served in a foil wrap — like chips and pretzels.
Canada
According to Food Secure Canada, the country is one of the few major industrialized nations in the world without a national school lunch program. Some regions across Canada offer smaller lunch programs but only reach a small portion of school-aged youth.
Six provinces have prohibited parents from sending their students to school with "junk food," so most parents stick to simple sandwiches, sliced fruit and vegetables, and small portions of pre-packaged pretzels or crackers. Many of the foods prepared for Canada's children mimic other industrialized countries like the United States, so it's not surprising to see carrots and cucumber slices in a plastic lunchbox.
