So nostalgic! A lively school lunch quiz. Let’s look back on those memories from back then.

skim milk powder

In postwar Japan, skim milk powder was distributed in school lunches as a substitute for milk to provide nutrition. Skim milk powder is made by removing the fat from milk and processing it into a powder, and it was adopted partly because it is easy to store and transport. By the late 1960s, due to its flavor, children’s reactions, and changing social circumstances, schools shifted to fresh milk. It’s often remembered as a nostalgic menu item, distinctive taste and all.

For improving the nutrition of children living in poverty

School lunches began in the Meiji era because children from economically disadvantaged families had difficulty getting sufficient nutrition. Concerns grew about children’s health, and malnutrition was affecting their academic performance and physical strength, leading various support groups and local governments to launch school lunch programs. As a result, children were able to have well-balanced meals at school, which not only improved their health but also helped create an environment where they could focus on learning with peace of mind.

Because it is mandated by law

Milk served with school lunches is a menu item mandated by the School Lunch Act. This law requires schools to provide lunches with balanced nutrition so that children and students can grow healthily. Because milk is rich in calcium and protein and is an important source of nutrients for children during their growth period, it has been stipulated that milk be included in daily school lunches.

whale meat

Tatsuta-age made with whale meat used to be a menu item served in many Japanese school lunches until around the 1970s. At the time, whale was considered an important source of protein and was enjoyed with its own distinctive cooking methods. As the distribution of whale meat declined over the years, whale-meat tatsuta-age also disappeared from menus, but it remains a nostalgic flavor that colors the memories of the generation from that era.

okara (soy pulp)

Jelly-fry is known as a local specialty of Saitama Prefecture and even appears on school lunch menus. Despite the name including “jelly,” it’s often noted that it doesn’t contain any jelly-like ingredients such as agar. Its main ingredients are potatoes and okara (soy pulp), and because it’s nutritious and healthy, it has long been cherished in school lunches for its familiar, comforting flavor.

All-Japan School Lunch Koshien

The competition that decides the best school lunches in Japan is called the “National School Lunch Koshien.” Cooks and nutritionists involved in school lunches across the country compete with menus that make the most of local ingredients and creative ideas, honing their skills and concepts through the event. It’s a competition that also contributes to raising awareness of the excellence of school lunches and food education, recognizing meals that put children’s health first and regionally distinctive menus.

for about 150 people

It is said that a single dairy cow produces about 20 to 30 liters of milk per day. Since the milk distributed in Japanese elementary school lunches is about 200 ml per bottle, one cow provides roughly enough for about 150 children. It’s data that deepens our appreciation for how one cow supports the lunches of so many children.