What are French school lunches like?

Starting when children enter school at age 3, school lunch consists of four courses: a vegetable starter (for example, grated carrot salad, or beet salad), a warm main course served with a side of grains or vegetables, cheese, and dessert.

What is a typical school lunch in France?

A main course, (le plat principal), typically a choice of meat or fish, with potatoes, rice, pasta and/or vegetables; a cheese course (often a selection of local cheeses) and/or a dessert. What time do French people go for lunch on a daily basis? 6O% of French people spend less than 30 minutes at lunch.

What does a typical French lunch consist of?

An usual French lunch will include: an appetizer (une entrée), such as a mixed salad, soup, terrine or pâté; main course, (le plat principal), choice of beef, pork, chicken, or fish, with potatoes, rice, pasta and/or vegetables; cheese course (from a local selection) and/or a sweet.

Do French schools have lunch breaks?

At school, the lunch break lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours, during which a four-course meal is eaten while seated. French etiquette recommends that everyone starts eating at the same time and leaves the table only once everybody is finished.

Why are French kids not picky eaters?

The French teach children to eat just as they would teach them to read. They also put more thought into expanding their children's palates and teaching them to love new foods (or at least love trying new foods). But not only was it what they were given to eat but also how they ate.

France's Gourmet School Lunches

Do French kids eat lunch at home?

There are no vending machines in French schools (they are banned by law), and children are strongly discouraged from bringing their own meals from home (and most don't). So the cantine is the place where the majority of French children eat lunch on school days.

What French kids eat in a day?

Why is there no school on Wednesday in France?

The idea of a weekday off dates to 1882, when secular primary education became compulsory in France: a day without classes, then Thursday, was to allow for religious education outside school. In 1972 a government decree fixed Wednesday instead as the mandatory day off.

Do French take 2 hour lunch?

Not only are French workers accustomed to taking a full two hours to enjoy their midday meals, they are required by law to leave their desks to do so.

Do French students go to school on Wednesday?

The French school day (and week) can be long. However, French students may have more frequent and longer breaks during the school day (there's no school on a Wednesday in Primary or a Wednesday afternoon in Collège and Lycée), leaving ample time to catch up on homework or study for exams.

Do the French eat 3 meals a day?

We, French people, are mostly omnivorous, so we eat a lot of different foods. But, to be more specific, we have three main meals each day : Le petit-déjeuner (the breakfast) : we most often eat sweet food on our first meal of the day.

What is the biggest meal of the day in France?

In France, lunch is typically the main meal of the day, and French people spend more time enjoying lunch than most people in other countries.

Why do the French eat dinner so late?

It's not uncommon for dinner in France to be served around 8:00 pm or even as late as 9:00 pm, especially in households or restaurants that follow more traditional dining schedules. This practice is rooted in French culture, where meals are often considered social events to be enjoyed leisurely.

Who has the best school lunches in the world?

For example, Japan has an excellent school meal program. Finland is probably the best in the world. France and Italy have decent programs.

What is the most popular lunch in France?

What are some facts about lunch in France?

Lunch is a bit heavier. This might include a starter dish and the main course, sometimes finished with fromage or a desert. Then, appetites are build up for dinner. Typically, dinner won't be served until past 7 PM, or later.

Why is French lunch so long?

Why so long? Lunch is supposed to represent up to half of daily caloric intake, so eat big meals at midday rather than in the evening. Plus, the French believe that eating slowly is an essential part of eating properly.

Is lunch free in France?

In France, the meals are free in about 50 municipalities out of 35,000. The price depends on the household income in most large towns. As part of the 2017 poverty action plan, local authorities offering a progressive price scale with price segments equal to or below €1 can benefit from a state contribution.

Do French people drink during lunch?

During the meal, in France, Belgium and Switzerland, common drinks are water (during the meal) and coffee (at the end of the meal). Traditionally, people do not drink fruit juice or soda during the meal. It is not uncommon for adults to drink an alcoholic beverage at the table (wine, beer, etc.).

Do French kids go to school on Saturdays?

The school day in France typically runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a half day on Saturday, although students do not attend school on Wednesday or Sunday.

Are French schools strict?

The French system is centralised and highly structured, with a strict curriculum and standardised tests. In comparison, other countries like the United States and the United Kingdom have more decentralised systems, emphasising individualised learning and personalised approaches.

Are schools in France free?

Public schools in France are free, secular, and co-ed. They follow the national curriculum that is set by the Ministry of Education. Typically, these schools use more conventional teaching methods.

Do kids in France drink milk?

Another thing is that French kids don't drink milk. Babies get formula in bottles, but when they get bigger, they might have hot chocolate with milk for breakfast and that's it.

What is a snack for French kids?

Yogurt, fromage blanc, fruits, and cereal bars are all popular snacks in France. However, not all French kids eat a healthy goûter. Nutella or chocolate with bread is a common snack which isn't the most healthy. And then there are les danettes, the most popular crème dessert in France.

Do they have kids menus in France?

Children have their own menu to choose from. Among other mythical establishments in Paris with menus for children are: the Gallopin and its menu 'Pas pour les grands' ('not for grown-ups) and the Alsatian brasserie Bofinger.