School Lunches In Japan Are Not Just About Eating

In the US elementary schools, lunch time is typically a one-hour break from the classroom. The students bring their homemade lunches or buy the food in the cafeteria. After they finish the lunch, they will have recess time and play in the playground.

However, school lunches in Japan are not just about eating. The lunch break is also used as an important learning time just like reading, math and science. In this 45-minute educational period, students prepare and serve healthy meals with soup and vegetables for their classmates. And they clean up the dishes after lunch. They even grow the vegetables in their school farms. Through these practices, students can learn the basic skills of growing and preparing food. It’s also a good example to show them the concept of recycling food, teamwork and responsibility. Check out the video and find out what school lunch in Japan looks like and what the students learn to do. How impressive!