What French Kids Eat For School Lunch

[Hammock Parties]

:bowdown:

I was standing inside my children’s public elementary school cafeteria, or “cantine” as the French call it, in our local town near Annecy, France. As part of my research into why French kids aren’t fat, the local city council gave me a tour of the public school’s cantine and kitchen and let me ask any question that came to mind.

There are many theories as to why the French, and French children in particular, do not suffer from weight problems, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension like their American counterparts. Eating moderate quantities of fresh and freshly prepared food at set times of the day is definitely one of the most convincing reasons why they stay lean. Daily exercise, in the form of three recess periods (two 15-minute and one 60-minute recess every day) and walking or biking to and from school, is another.

What do French kids eat?

Menus are set up two months in advance by the cantine management staff, and then sent to a certified dietitian who makes small “corrections.” The dietitian might take out a small chocolate éclair and replace it with a kiwi for dessert if she thinks there's too much sugar that week. Or she may modify suggested menus by adding more or fewer carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, or protein to keep the balance right.

Almost all foods are prepared right in the kitchen; they’re not ready-made frozen. This means mashed potatoes, most desserts, salads, soups, and certainly the main dishes are prepared daily. Treats are included — the occasional slice of tarte, a dollop of ice cream, a delicacy from the local pastry shop.

First course: Cucumber and tomato salad

Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli

Cheese

Dessert: Apple tart



First course: Cabbage and tomato salad

Main course: Roast beef, potatoes, baked tomatoes with herbs

Cheese

Dessert: Kiwi



First course: Tabouleh (made with bulgur)

Main course: Sausages, zucchini

Dessert: Ice cream, apple



First course: Potato and pickle salad

Main course: Breaded fish, cauliflower

Cheese

Dessert: Peach

Where does the food come from?

“All our fruits, vegetables, fish and meat are sourced locally, some of them from local farms,” according to Dany Cahuzac, the city counselor in charge of school matters, including the cantine. The local bakery delivers bread, a staple of every French meal, fresh every morning. And every two days, there is at least one organic item on the menu. Once a month, an entirely organic meal is served. The only drink offered at lunchtime is filtered tap water, served in glass pitchers.

Just as important: how the kids eat.

As the children come streaming into the cantine, they sit down at tables of four that are already set and wait for older student volunteers to bring the first course to their table. The child who sits at the designated “red” chair is the only one who is allowed to get up to fetch more water in the pitcher, extra bread for the bread basket, or to ask for extra food for the table. After finishing the first course (often a salad), volunteers bring the main course platter to the table and the children serve themselves. A cheese course follows (often a yogurt or small piece of Camembert, for example), and then dessert (more often than not, fresh fruit).

[Baby Lee]

Careful guys, I'm sensing a whiff of racist dog whistle in all this 'too much Federal power' talk.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Common Core

Oh boy.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by blaise

Yeah, but I think the organic food availability is way better than even 5 years ago. You see way more products in a lot more stores. That may be large corporations buying into it and distributing it themselves, but it's still more than it was. At least in my opinion.

It's definitely a result of the large corporations buying into the organic marketing. A ton of our previously organic growers at our farmer's market no longer bother with trying to get certified organic labeling any longer because it's expensive and sometimes requires processes and/or purchases that are tough for them to manage.

This is in large part because the big corporations want to force their competitors out of the market, and they have the lobbying dollars to do so whereas small farmers have no voice. So the large corps have lobbied to change organic certification to be a pain in the ass for small farmers.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Careful guys, I'm sensing a whiff of racist dog whistle in all this 'too much Federal power' talk.

What?

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

What?

Are you really not aware? Seriously asking.

Not saying it because I believe it, but because it's the big government talking point for returning ANYTHING to local control. That or your a pro-life whose long term strategy on returning anything to state and local control is to start picking of abortion rights state by state.

And seriously, you gotta stop using that word until you change your avatar.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Are you really not aware? Seriously asking.

Not saying it because I believe it, but because it's the big government talking point for returning ANYTHING to local control. That or your a pro-life whose long term strategy on returning anything to state and local control is to start picking of abortion rights state by state.

Ah, I see now what you're saying.

The "dog whistle" portion of it was confusing at first.

But yeah, I think everything should default to local control first, except for national defense and few other things. I guess that makes me a pro-life racist.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

And seriously, you gotta stop using that word until you change your avatar.

What? What?

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

DaKCMan AP's menu while at work today:

First course: mixed unsalted cashews, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, and walnuts served with dried apricots

Second course: yogurt and cheese

Third course: salad of kale and tomatoes with multigrain bread

Fourth course: red grapes and a black plum

Fifth course: banana

Only beverages served throughout the day are loose-leaf tea and water.

I eat lightly while at work. I can't stand being full of of food when I'm trying to get anything done. Cucumber salad, banana, yogurt, tuna on toasted wheat and lots of water throughout the day.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by NewChief

It's definitely a result of the large corporations buying into the organic marketing. A ton of our previously organic growers at our farmer's market no longer bother with trying to get certified organic labeling any longer because it's expensive and sometimes requires processes and/or purchases that are tough for them to manage.

This is in large part because the big corporations want to force their competitors out of the market, and they have the lobbying dollars to do so whereas small farmers have no voice. So the large corps have lobbied to change organic certification to be a pain in the ass for small farmers.

Yup! IIRC, the standard enforced by govt for organic is not as strict either. I wouldn't doubt they were behind that too.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by blaise

School lunch issues aside I think what the kids eat at home or away from school is 100 times the problem than what they eat at school. A kid isn't getting fat on a school burger. It's not very healthy because there's issues with cancer causing ingredients, and it doesn't really teach them great eating habits when it comes to consuming vegetables, but it's not making them fat.
The McDonalds and Oreos and pop and Capn Crunch they eat at home are probably doing almost all the damage. I think schools tend to get scapegoated when it comes to childhood obesity.

I think school lunches are an extension of what goes on at home....plus or minus a few areas.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I lived in Germany and it's true there too.

They walk and they bike. Hell, the majority of cities don't even allow auto traffic in the main downtown areas. You HAVE to walk or take the bus.

Europe is like that overall. Things are closer compared to here.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by NewChief

My kids were so excited this year because they added a second 15 minutes recess this year. Prior to that, it was a single 15 minute recess each day.

There's definitely a push back against all of this shit, but the problem is the pressure that schools feel to perform. I'm a firm believer (and some research shows) that kids would perform better academically if schools would reduce the amount of classroom time and increase free play and physical activity periods, but that's quite a leap of faith and counterintuitive to schools that are under the gun for their test scores (Oh hey! Let's spend LESS time preparing kids for these tests!).

I totally agree with that.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

I think school lunches are an extension of what goes on at home....plus or minus a few areas.

Not where I live.

The kids can't even really bring their lunch anymore because one of their classmates might be allergic to something.

They're pretty much forced to eat the school food, which is largely comprised of processed/pressed meats, canned vegetables, and powdered macaroni and cheese.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by listopencil

I eat lightly while at work. I can't stand being full of of food when I'm trying to get anything done. Cucumber salad, banana, yogurt, tuna on toasted wheat and lots of water throughout the day.

Had cucumber marinated in Nordstrom's Cherry Balsamic Vinegar and Cracked Pepper Melange. Heavenly.

I can't even find where on earth you can find Nordstrom's Cherry Balsamic Vinegar for sale in a bottle. They use it in their restaurant. But they had 3 bottles at Cargo Largo and I snatched them.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by NewChief

It's definitely a result of the large corporations buying into the organic marketing. A ton of our previously organic growers at our farmer's market no longer bother with trying to get certified organic labeling any longer because it's expensive and sometimes requires processes and/or purchases that are tough for them to manage.

This is in large part because the big corporations want to force their competitors out of the market, and they have the lobbying dollars to do so whereas small farmers have no voice. So the large corps have lobbied to change organic certification to be a pain in the ass for small farmers.

That's why the divide to be focused on shouldn't be Dem/Rep or even Red/Blue. It should be organized power versus individual preference.