Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

Recommended foods for a high school cultural festival: from Instagrammable items to easy, casual bites.

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

When it comes to running a food stall at a school festival, it’s easy to agonize over what kind of food will draw a crowd.

In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of great food ideas perfect for high school festivals! We’ve picked out not only classic festival favorites, but also options that require minimal prep and eye-catching treats that will shine on Instagram—menus that we especially want high schoolers to try.

Enjoy the school festival to the fullest, including the fun of making everything together with your friends!

Recommended foods for a high school cultural festival: from photogenic items to easy bites (71–80)

Curry and rice

How to Make Curry and Rice – A Must-See for Students! An Easy Curry Recipe You Can Make in a Frying Pan –

Curry and rice

How about serving curry rice at your festival booth—a dish that’s arguably loved by everyone? Make a classic version with meat, onions, carrots, and potatoes, using curry roux.

Since some people don’t like very spicy food, keep the heat moderate—use a medium-spicy roux and maybe add milk to make it milder and creamier.

As Japan’s signature comfort food, curry rice is a surefire hit and could make your booth very popular.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

fried ice cream

Crispy outside, cool inside! Tempura ice cream

fried ice cream

Fried ice cream is one of the most popular sweets at school festivals! The crispy, warm coating paired with the melty, cold ice cream creates an indescribably delicious treat.

The typical method might be to wrap ice cream in a dough, freeze it, then batter and fry it.

But that can be a lot of prep work.

That’s why an easy recipe I recommend is to coat store-bought cream puff ice cream with batter and fry it.

Finish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, and it’s ready to serve.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Mitarashi dango

[Just Rice and Water] 3 Minutes in the Microwave! Make Chewy Dango with Ordinary Rice You Always Have at Home [Low-Fat]

Mitarashi dango

When it comes to mitarashi dango, it’s arguably one of the most popular wagashi among high school students.

That said, because it’s so easy to buy, many people may have never made it themselves.

For the dumpling portion, you use shiratamako (glutinous rice flour).

You can knead it with water, but in this video they make it by adding silken tofu instead of water.

Using tofu is said to keep the dango from hardening even after being stored in the refrigerator.

Boil the dumplings in hot water, skewer them, and sear them in a frying pan to add some char.

After that, just coat them with the sauce and they’re ready to eat.

A simple soy sauce-only glaze also makes for a delicious, more grown-up flavor.

Raise the rankinglower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem

candied apple

How to Make Perfect Candied Apples: Crispy on the Outside, Crunchy on the Inside

candied apple

When it comes to festivals, candied apples are a must! They’re cute and Instagrammable, so they’re perfect for a school festival sweet, too.

The video features a recipe from a specialty candied apple shop, so definitely use it as a reference.

Another plus is that you only need simple ingredients like apples and corn syrup.

You can make it feel even more like a real candied apple shop by adding classic flavors like cinnamon, yogurt, or chocolate.

People don’t often make candied apples themselves, and the process is fun, so be sure to discuss it with your classmates for the school festival!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

fried bread

Recreating the school lunch fried bread ♡

fried bread

Speaking of deep-fried bread from school lunches, it’s a nostalgic flavor, but there aren’t many shops that sell it.

The method is actually simple: just deep-fry store-bought rolls or koppe-pan and coat them with a sweet topping, so it’s easy to make without failing and highly recommended.

The typical coating is kinako (roasted soybean flour) mixed with powdered sugar, but it’s also fun to try variations like cocoa with powdered sugar or cinnamon with powdered sugar.

Because it’s rich and indulgent, it’s probably a hugely popular menu item for hungry high school students.

Raise the rankinglower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem