[15]Michelle Obama picks beans in the White House garden with school children. She visits cafeterias in New Orleans. She calls for school food reform in Congress. The First Lady’s “Let’s Move [16]” campaign is particularly tailored to address the current American obesity crisis. Yet she is also following in the footsteps of other international leaders who have stepped into school cafeterias.
In the late 1970s and 1980s, M.G. Ramachandran, a film star and chief minister of Tamil Nadu, India initiated a program (based on one in Japan) called the “Midday Meal Scheme.” Ostensibly, he guaranteed that every student attending a government school would be served a hot, nutritious meal. This initiative was designed to combat hunger and poor school attendance rates.
Recognizing the critical connection between proper nutrition and academic outcomes, the World Food Programme [17] and governments worldwide continue to sponsor school feeding programs. They hope that the promise of a solid meal will encourage parents to send their sons and daughters to school.
With the resumption of the American school year, several alumni of the International Leaders in Education Program [18] took the opportunity to reflect on school nutrition in the U.S. and abroad. Mona Datta, a geography teacher in New Delhi, India, reports that her school serves “a balanced diet based on Indian food, standard roti, rice, dal, seasonal vegetables and fruits. Added to these are the child-friendly menus like burgers, Chinese and Continental meals.” At Randdie Cuelo’s school in Bacolod City, Philippines, the cafeteria lunch typically consists of “a combo of rice and a single viand, preferably meat or vegetables.”
Randdie’s Filipino institution follows some of the same ideas that Michelle Obama advocates: “Our school doesn’t allow the selling of junk foods like curls and chips. Once they are inside the campus, students have no choice but to buy nutritious foods.” Teacher Ivana Costa’s school in Salvador, Brazil “is supported by the Brazilian army” and accordingly the food is prepared by soldiers and sergeants enrolled in a cooking class.
When asked about their respective experiences eating food in cafeterias in Alabama and South Carolina, Mona and Ivana gave American school lunch mixed reviews: “It was reasonably priced and fresh food was served daily,” said Mona. Ivana was less pleased: “They could provide more healthy food such as fruit and vegetables.” As Michelle Obama and others revamp school meal offerings in the United States, they can look for ideas and models from schools across the globe.
Amy Ahearn [15] is a program associate at IREX.