Несъедобные обеды американских школьников

[peacetraveler22]

At my school, there was no cafeteria. Each morning, my mom awoke early and packed lunch for my sister and me. It grew monotonous, eating the same sandwiches and fruit each day. Secretly, I dreamed of being like my friends who went to public schools, lining up each day to have some old woman with a net around her hair throw slop on my plate. In the U.S., there's constant debate over what school children are fed in the cafeteria. A lot of schools have removed snack and soda machines, and guidelines about nutritional values for school meals are always shifting. Over the weekend, I looked at the menu from my nephew's elementary school, listing the meal choices for each day in the month of May. Common choices include pizza, tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken nuggets and pastas, all served with some type of vegetable and potatoes or rice. There's always one healthy option like grilled chicken or fish, and a wide-variety of fresh fruit is available for purchase. Yet only the most disciplined of children would pick such options when there are tastier and more indulgent choices placed in front of them each day. All of this creates a very sad picture on the white tray. I grew curious, and began to read about school lunches around the globe, and here's what I discovered!

Look at the culinary delights thrown on these plates from Brazil, Greece and France. The Greek dish looks especially appetizing to me, while the plate from Ukraine has the same sad and pathetic appearance as the USA lunch, filled with greasy sausages, potatoes, cabbage, borscht and a pancake.


If the topic is of interest to readers, I can take my camera and join my nephew for lunch one day to explain more about what school kids in the USA eat. Of course, many parents still pack lunches for their children, so they aren't forced to eat this cafeteria slop each day. However, I think there's some level of excitement for most young kids to go through the cafeteria line each day, pick from a choice of foods, and create their own meals. It's a rite of passage for almost all American school children.

What did you eat during your school days? Cafeteria food, or homemade lunches? I have no idea what Russian children are served in cafeterias or dining halls, because I've never once visited a school there. Has it changed a lot from the Soviet era? What happens if the family has no money to pay for a child's lunch, does the Russian government subsidize it?

Comments

[fedli.livejournal.com]

Лучше скушать супчик,как помои,чем разжиреть и получить язву...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

There are plenty of fat children in Russia and Ukraine also. I've seen them with my own eyes. :) These greasy sausages are no better than chicken nuggets.

[fedli.livejournal.com]

Согласен.Я и не соревнуюсь,сам растолстел)).
Я не люблю сухомятку и суп в школьной столовой ел с удовольствием,когда преподавал в школе.Каша,картошка с котлетой или рыбой.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It is easy to grow fat as we become older! :) I like soups, but not porridge or buckwheat!

[fedli.livejournal.com]

Благодарю ,успокоили)))
Гречневая каша моя слабость-люблю.Когда учился в Москве друзья -украинцы в столовой всегда говорили:"А этому(мне)двойную гречку"))).

[red-perez.livejournal.com]

>>> but not porridge or buckwheat!

I don't like cats! - You just don't know how to cook them

[ojeg.livejournal.com]

Пиши по русски пизда.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I will write in whatever language I wish. This is my blog. I'm sorry you don't know English, and lack the fortitude to use an online translator. I suppose it's much easier for you to just type rude insults? Does it make you feel better?

[ojeg.livejournal.com]

Вот ты, блять, дура!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

To the ban, troll!

Nowadays maybe I simply don`t know

[montrealex.livejournal.com]

But some 20-25 years ago and I am not telling about my childhood time (too old), a fat girl or boy in a class of 40 students was an exception and, as a rule, suffering from bad metabolism.
We played soccer and hockey, basketball and voleyball, ping - pong and so on, swam in lakes...
In school I generally ate for lunch a half-dozen meatballs (there were like 25% meat and 75% bread) with mashed potatoes or rice, then a slice of bread and a glass of yellowish tea with a teaspoon of sugar in it.
Back home there was a full dinner (by 4 PM or smth) with a soup and chiken, some other meat or fish, a famous kompot (boiled dried fruit beverage) or milk or kefir.

Re: Nowadays maybe I simply don`t know

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Children were more active then. They didn't have smart phones, iPads, so many video games...it was the same in the USA. We played outside more, rode bikes, etc. I love meatballs! :))

[weraoqe0803.livejournal.com]

Agree

[crakadil.livejournal.com]

The Cleveland police department, which has become synonymous with the racially charged debate over police tactics, has agreed to follow some of the most exacting standards in the nation over how and when its officers can use force

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

What? :) And how does this statement relate to cafeteria food?

[(Anonymous)]

Проблема в том, что вкусы формируются в результате культурно-образовательного процесса. А пища просто отражает вкусы наций. Кому-то может и человечинка по вкусу, а кто-то и свинину есть не станет ))

[mivinka.livejournal.com]

In my school time (90th) we had no any food in cafeteria except bulochki))) My mom packed lunch for me and my brother during 10 years of school too((((( It was not convenient( I hated when my bag smelled like sandwich or eggs((( In the same time we were so skinny. To be fat was not typical and sometimes was shame. I think now children in Ukraine have better situation, they have cafeteria which is offering such kind of food you shown. But I'm sure that they use spending money for snacks. They can buy it in any market or lar'ok and nobody can't forbid or control them(( You are right, there are a lot of fat kids in Ukraine. Parents have no time too control kids.
It's strange to see skinny moms with fat kids(

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Eggs in a bag smell terrible, esp. in summer! :)