Do Italian kids get lunch in school? If so, what kind of food?

I just read that some moms in England are trying to "save" their children from the healthy food by Jamie Oliver. One mother said "We are doing this because our children are being served disgusting crap in school. They can't even go out at lunch time to buy something they like. Food is cheaper and better in the local fast food places".
Another mom said that Jamie Oliver "forces our children to be pickier with the food".

Personally, I can't understand why a parent would oppose themselves when their children are being served healthy food that is good for their bodies. It is proved over and over again that the brain works better with the right fuel (aka right food) and I can't understand what's "bad" with the children learning to care about what they put in their mouth.
It's not MEAN to the kids to give them healthy food!

At elementary school lunch is usually provided but it's up to the parents to decide if their child should have school lunch or to pick him/her up to have lunch at home.

In mid-school, lunch is provided if there is a "mensa" in the school.

Mine was the last "annata" (1983) to have a half-day school-day and there was not the problem of lunch at school. So, almost all the mid-school are not equipped with lunch-spaces.

The menu is on a monthly base and it is decided by the scholastic district and it is published at school in advance. Parents fill in a paper of they don't want their children to eat certain foods (for example, in case of allergy or diet).

In the high school (scuola superiore) there is no lunch service unless we talk about private schools, colleges,...

My kids get lunch at school everyday. When we first arrived in Italy, the first words to come out of their mouths was "lunches are sooo much better here!". In the States lunch at school was basically junk and my kids wouldn't eat it. Here in Italy, at their school anyway, they get 2 courses. The first is usually pasta, soup or rice, always very simple like pasta with broth, risotto, pasta w/tomato. For secondo there is usually something pretty plain as well, like chicken, mozarella, fish or prosciutto. Oh, and there's pizza once a week. They also receive a snack evey day, like yogurt, fruit or juice.
By the end of the school year my kids had become jaded and declared the school lunches here terrible too, but in my opinion the lunches are way better than what they ever had in the States in terms of healthiness.

I know that Jamie Oliver has had a big impact on school meals in the UK. He's even working together with the government in order to improve school meals. The gvt is now spending a bit more on school lunches - though be it only a few pence more. I'm not sure that money is necessary though..it's more a question of educating I believe.
I remember ('cause he also did a gastronomic tour of Italy) that he tested Italian and British kids on the names of vegetables, and the British kids didn't even know the names of many vegetables. So you can imagine how often they ate them.
Naturally I blame the parents.

There was a TV series in the UK (Jamie's School Dinners) a couple of years ago when Jamie Oliver started his campaign against the awful quality of school food and it is something that has really taken off in many UK schools now.
He also did another series called "Jamie's Italy" and in it he visited a school over here to see what the food was like. They said that in Italian schools they only use organic produce - I don't know how accurate this statement was, but from what I remember in the programme the school kitchens soooo different from in the UK - the cooks actually cooked instead of just reheating various fatty, salty and processed rubbish and then expecting the kids to be well behaved, calm and sit still for the rest of the afternoon!
The sad fact is that the only reason the children get so fussy and addicted to processed food is because their parents feed it to them, seeing it as an easy option. They may get a good healthy meal at school but if this is offset by a microwave meal in the evening at home the children will never change their eating habits.

It makes me wonder what happened in the UK, because I remember when I was at school (ok, it was ages ago, Im 28 now), the food wasn't fantastic, but there were no chips and fried stuff at least. We used to have mash and veggies, meat etc. Probably all frozen and from packets, but still not as bad as these days.

In my town, areund 11 in the morning there are people who carry box of pre-cooked pasta. Since there is not the kitchen in the school, they have this other company who carry the food. I think they have some sort of giant microwave in the school to heat the meals before serving them.

I'm going to defend UK parents, as someone that used to be one.

I have always fed my children healthy good food and have always tried to find the best of ingredients in the UK.

The schools give the children crap, the food is cooked in a central processed kitchen with minimum wage, untrained staff and then shipped out to the school. The food is ****. All UK students have to stay in school to eat, it the law. They can either eat school food which is both expensive and rubbish or a packages lunch. The children choose what they eat and rarely do 4/5/6/7/8 year choose health food. Unlike Italy where they get one meal and they either eat it or go hungry. As far as packages lunches are concerned there a few problems there too

1. the food companies spend so much on supermarket and television advertising when you go the supermarket the children are demanding the processed, food coloured crap food the supermarket trip with the children is only for the very brave or the weak who eventually give in. (I was lucky I went without the children normally)

2. Because some children get the crap they all want the crap and often refuse to eat anything they would be something you actually want them to eat.

Its a huge problem in the UK and I agree that parents have some responsibility but the schools/goverment do to.

The problem is made more difficult to solve because although the company (there is only one really) who produces most of the lunches for schools have been given more money to provide healthier lunches, they are refusing to withdraw certain processed food from the menu. The schools have all been tied into 5 year contracts so in effect little will change in the short term.

Its a terrible situation which many parents are extremely upset and concerned about but are powerless to change quickly.

Jamie Oliver has made an emormous difference but there is still much to do. He wants basically what Italian children have and has huge support from parents.

I would also say that I think the statements of blame the parents rather insulting given these facts.

1. Normlly children are not given a choice of a healthy or unhealthy food, in the home this is job of the parents but in UK schools they are given this choice.

2. While in school the school is legally the responsibility of the school and they therefore have a duty of care. By allowing the children to eat rubbish day in day out surely there neglecting their duty of care.

3. Parents are NOT permitted to specify what the children can choose from the menu of the day. So I would not be able to look at the menu and tell my daughter, and for the school to ensure it be so, you will have X, X and X. Therefore I have absolutely no control over the school lunch.

Finally for most of the year it is pretty cold in the UK and after lunch the children will play outside for the remainder of the lunch hour. I for one as in the case with many parents wanted something warm inside her when it was cold and wet, to keep her warm and heathly.

As a UK parent you are pretty powerless and are between a rock and a hard place.

I just read the article on the Sky news website regarding two mothers passing their children "fast food" every lunchtime in protest to the new healthier changes to the school meals. The mothers' argument is that their children should be given the choice to eat what they want.

I think this is absolute nonsense as one of the responsibilities of being a parent is providing your child with what is best for them and surely that includes a healthy diet. My sister found out last year that her boys of 9 and 13 were spending all their lunch money every day on sausages, chips and soft drinks. Now the new changes mean that only healthier foods are available and all unhealthy snack and beverage machines have been removed from the school premises. I think this is a good thing.

I am very happy with the meals by son receives in nursery school here in Italy. The menu is nutritional, varies week-by-week and all food is prepared internally with fresh ingredients every day. However, I do know that not all nurseries and schools here have their own kitchens therefore lunches are pre-cooked externally and heated up on arrival at the school.

While agreeing totally with what has been said regarding both UK and Italian school meals provision, I do think we must look at another glaring difference too.

In (dare I say) 'thousands'of places/areas in the UK the last few generations have grown up in complete ignorance of home economics. Add to that the almost parallel lack of work provision (or desire to do any, even if it were available) and you are looking at what we were warned about 30, 40 and even 50 years ago. That the future youth of the UK was on a slippery slope to 'human ruin'. Never mind a 'slope' - it's now 2006, and they've got to the bottom of the slope and are in the huge pile of the unemployable, disrespectful, chip eating soda/beer drinking populace.

Now look at the same age groups and economic backgrounds here in Italy. Notice any differences? Too right you can.... Here they know what fresh food means. They are taught how to cook fresh food on a daily basis in practically every home! Many of the Italian children (that I know anyway) will of course opt for a 'Kinder' before a plate of pasta or salad. But then they will eat the pasta/salad too.
That's the difference.
The UK must re-instate housekeeping knowledge to the younger generations where it is glaringly obvious that there is none.

But Italian parents need to teach their children some of that too (how to run a house) - or their their 'sprogs' 'may' start down that same slippery slope too!

We can't blame schools for everything. Some things - yes. But not all!
but I like it up here sometimes!

Carole, unfortunately I think that your optimism about Italian childrens' relation with food is a bit too... Optimistic. The truth is that, although we may not have gone all the way down the slope, Italian children are growing more and more affectionate to junk food, and younger mothers often don't cook fresh meals neither daily not ocasionally. Hey, I know of a number of young mothers that don't cook at all! They live on frozen stuff and on their mothers, who do all the cooking for them a couple of times a week.

Regarding the school food, in many schools it's a common pratice for the families (which take part to the school's activity by being part of the class and school "councils") in groups that check on the food that's served in the schools. Parents are welcome to pay surprise visits to the kitchens as well as to show up by surprise and eat with the children, in order to check on the quality (and amount) of the food that gets served.

Alice, you are describing spoiled brats. The last thing a spoiled brat needs is a child who depends on her/him.
There is a responsibility, and it can't be permanently foisted onto nonni.
As an active participant in a uk food newsgroup, I am aware of how many British do care about and do prepare good food. But for every one who posts there, there are many relatives who complain about their food being "fussed about with" or who live on fry shop junk and take out curries. It's clearly a problem in a large percentage of the population.

Maybe some of you have forgotten how hard it is to get 'good' food into children

Lila is fourteen months old and already shows a distinct preference for crap! Me and nonna spend hours lovingly preparing (OK mostly nonna!) fresh meals for her and then she clamps up her little mouth when you try and feed her. But give her a plate of chips and she happily munch away. I don't know why kids prefer junk food (says I who has just had a slice of cake for lunch) but they do. I suppose we just have to keep trying with the good stuff and hope by the time she reaches adulthood some of the habits will stick.

I can sort of understand why the UK parents are complaining about the healthy food though, even though clearly it's not right. God I had terrible eating habits in the UK. You know fresh food is twice the price of junk food there and I dont know many English people who can cook a good meal from scratch anymore. I guess if their kids eat crap at home and then go to school and see only healthy food they won't eat it. The solution of course is to start them younger, I fear for this school generation it's already too late

quote:

Originally posted by Judith in Umbria:
Alice, you are describing spoiled brats. The last thing a spoiled brat needs is a child who depends on her/him.
There is a responsibility, and it can't be permanently foisted onto nonni.

Ohh Judith I fear you might be talking about me!!! Honestly Nonna is just much better at vegetables

Yael, learn from her! Nonna will die before you will, if you're lucky. Then Baby must eat tinned corn forever?
PS/ I'm pretty sure the various sformati etc. on my blog are described simply enough for someone who does a cake like you do.
Also, vegetarian pastas and insalatone are vegetables. Go, conquer, eat.

I'm someone and so is my husband who is an English person who can good meal from scratch. I taught myself as did my husband. Neither school not my parents taught me however we are already teaching my children.

Judith, notice that I did not imply that I approve of them. Defrosting a bag of microwave junk takes about the same time as cooking a perfectly tasty and healthy pasta or steak and salad. But the truth is still that I know quite a number of such people (not that I usually befriend them: I just happen to know them!).
There is the colleague of my mom. She's 23 and never boiled an egg at home. Now she's married and hasa her mom cook for her a couple of times a week, so that she can collect the food and take it home. her mother tried anything she could to encourage her to prepare her own food, but she has not done what I would have: stopped cooking!
Also, how many mothers prefer to take their children into a MacDoo instead of anywhere else? here around my office there are three amcDoos, all full, and one excellent Turkish restaurant where you could eat for just as cheap decent food all cooked from scrap and all far tastier than MacDoo's. Where do the mothers take their children?

The same thing is happening here in America too. This year we were informed that the state of Pennsylvania will not allow junk food brought into to the schools by parents next school year. For example, if it is your child's birthday you cannot bring in cookies or cupcakes to distribute to the other children. They have already revamped the lunch program. But it is still junk to me, e.g. Philly Cheese Steak sandwich, cheeseburgers, tacos, grilled cheese. If you don't want the main selection you can have a hot dog or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Today the selection was a cheese steak, my little girl is packing a BLT on whole wheat made with turkey bacon, grapes and strawberries and cranbery grape juice and ONE cookie.

quote:

By Alice......!Hey, I know of a number of young mothers that don't cook at all! They live on frozen stuff and on their mothers, who do all the cooking for them a couple of times a week".

THAT is exactly the point I'm trying to make Alice when I say "But Italian parents need to teach their children some of that too (how to run a house) - or their their 'sprogs' 'may' start down that same slippery slope too"!.

I know cases of this too. Where the daughter collects food from the parents on an evening.
To me it seems much easier to cook youself instead of having to do a detour before going home.
Isn't a parent's job to raise independent children? I don't think they're helping things a great deal by creating such dependency. It's one thing to cook something special once in a while and offer a portion to offspring, but to be doing it 3 times a week!?

I'm hearing all these 'reasons' why the younger generation don't/won't/can't cook....
i. Mama does it (oops - I meant the cooking) for me twice a week.
ii. Fresh food is very expensive. (lb for lb and kilo for kilo - I don't think so! Some frozen ready meals here I'm certain work out around €8-10pk. So, on often less than €1000 pm they NEED to learn and 'pdq'
iii. The children don't like it. They prefer junk food! Hunger is a great persuader....


Say what you will - the main instigator (in the UK AND Italy) of all these 'reasons' is, I fear, pure laziness and that 'couldn't care less' attitude. Why waste all that time preparing food when , even though it's more than I can afford - it means I can't go to Bingo,watch TV, go to the pub or out clubbing.
Or I can't watch TV, go out for 'aperitivi, go for a 'passegiata'.....?

Oh thislist of 'reasons' could be endless.

But you know here in Italy - at least the council run 'asili' and 'scuole materne' are very strictly controlled on the quantity and quality of the food given to the little ones. There is a dietologist who arranges the menus and the 'carers' eat what the kids do.... If they don't eat - they go without. They usually don't do that twice I'm assured!

(Sorry about that Yael - give Sweet Pea a big hug from me - and give her some chips as a treat for her tea! LOL)