Want to eat Healthy? Take lesson from a Japanese Kid.

                                   

I have been a beneficiary of World Food Program (WFP) the whole of my school life. WFP supports Bhutan in providing free meals to school going children even to this day. I fondly remember senior students walk out of the class to unload the truck full of bags marked with WFP logo. The tin fish that was considered a special meal was served only once a week. You would be pleasantly surprised if I say we would spot little bugs and weevils in the cooked dal. I ain’t kidding here! But then it wouldn’t bother us much because there were kids who might not get to eat otherwise. The school meal gave parents a reason to send their children to school then. We would gladly pick it, throw and continue eating. The school would receive the rations in bulk. Due to the poor storage facilities, the items would get infested easily. I also coincidentally happened to work with School Health and Nutrition Division under Ministry of Education after my graduation for little over a year. Working in organizations/corporations didn’t happen. The division looks after the school feeding program in Bhutan with the support of WFP. The quality of meals today is a far cry from the meals during my time. Today WFP supported schools receive more than 10 different food items. The rations would go to schools on the quarterly basis today thereby avoiding food infestation.

 School lunch in Japan is little different from what I have experienced. Lunch programs are designed in such a way that students not only fill up their tummy and sleep in the class but to help them understand what constitutes a nutritionally balanced meal whilst learning the fundamentals of proper eating and table manners. It’s the healthiest meal you would ever eat (not always the yummiest though). The menus for a month are planned in advance by a school nutritionist and chefs. They ensure healthy and delicious lunch. Some items are prepared at the school kitchen whereas some are outsourced to a company that serves several elementary schools in that same area.
I take turn to eat lunch with all the classes. The lunch cost me around ¥220 per day (which comes to around Nu. 130) which I pay to the school at the end of every month. I think it’s a pretty good deal. At least it saves me from waking up early to prepare my lunch.

You will be inspired to see how Japanese students operate their lunch time all by themselves. Right after 4^th period, a group of students would put on aprons, white hat and masks, find their way to kitchen to get share for their class. Students take turn to do this. They would line up at the kitchen door with their HRT as the kitchen staffs hand them foods. Rest of the students in the class would get ready for the lunch by making sure they have chopsticks, napkin, cup and a toothbrush. GOSH!! I keep forgetting mine. But the silver lining here is I have mastered this phrase in Japanese to borrow chopsticks from the school which I would’ve never learned otherwise. Great way to boost your Japanese, you see. But too bad that the school doesn’t have toothbrush I can borrow. Haha!

The same group who had picked the lunch would also serve it to their mates in the class. Mine is usually served in the staffroom with other supporting staffs. I would pick it from there and follow two students who would have come to get me. Where do I sit? That’s the least of my worries. If there’s ever a clash of opinions between two, this situation will be decided with a janken (Rock, Scissors and Paper) game. One representative from each table play janken and I get to sit with the one that wins. Now don’t embrace yourself by eating straight away, there’re formalities involved when eating in Japan. Once everyone gets their share, two students would come in the front and read out the menu. Make sure their peers don’t miss out on any of the items. This is followed by folding their hands in prayer, bow with “itadakimasu” (I humbly receive). The students in charge are pretty uncompromising. They wouldn’t let it easy until everyone is properly seated, folded their hands and maintained a pin-drop silence. The HRT then would set the timer for 20 minutes to finish up the lunch.

In the background, some senior students will talk about nutrition and history of the food in front of them over a PA (all other announcements are made over PA too). My HRT told me that the ingredients come from the local farmers and some from the school garden. Children are taught to eat whatever they’re served. Children do have food preferences (so do I!) though. Most of the kids answer “No” to “Do you like milk?” but they drink it anyways. Teachers work really hard in cultivating this mindset. Children being picky or unhealthy eaters doesn’t have a room here. What’s served for lunch is what you’re only eating. No second option. No junk food. No cafeteria. And absolutely no waste of food. The fact that kids produce zero waste amazes me completely. Unfinished leftover on the plate is not their thing. Isn’t this amazinggggg? These kids beat the hell outta me here!

Need nobody's help to take care of the teeth

Who gets to take the extra packet of milk or some extra food? A couple of hungry kids would raise up their hands and there you go-janken again. Before I realize who beats who, the winners would be already there taking pride for their luck for another packet of milk or a roll of bread. Kids are that expert with this game. Very impressive! Japanese children will play janken tens if not hundreds of times a day. So it's important to know how to play janken if you're planning to teach in Japanese schools. You will see them play junken in the classroom, in the playground or wherever needed.

Students are pretty much done eating after 20 minutes. They reach back their plates, take care of their teeth and fold up the milk package for recycling. The two students would appear again in the front to put an end to the lunch time. All the students would say “Gochisosamadeshita” (Thank you for your feast) with a bow.  The respective group would then return the dishes to the kitchen whilst rest of the class start cleaning their classroom. Personally I think it’s awesome; students taking responsibility for what they eat- to serve and to pick up afterwards. They need no janitors. This program itself is an educational activity.

Milk packages to be recycled

Eating lunch with the students could either turn out to be a huge success or the longest lunch of your life. Students nearby would attempt to talk to you and show interest in you or kids won’t fucking care your presence with your shitty Japanese. Most of the time it has been the former one. The proof of it: students would make me reflect on some of my favorites like animals, color, food or Japanese anime. Your age is the most expected question for the Japanese kids. Kids are annoyingly smart here! They would compare my age with their mothers and say I’m so young. YES! Oh, for heaven’s sake! I’m soooo young. Sometimes I do long for some quiet lunch time all by myself. It’s exhausting sometimes having to do Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes dance 3-4 times starting 8:40 in the cold, cold morning. But nothing beats the feeling of hearing “HELOOOOO! Dechen Sensei/Butan Sensei/ Eigo no Sensei” even if we had class a minute ago. It literally warms my heart.

Having experienced public school lunch in Bhutan and here in Japan, I have to admit that Japanese school lunch beat the shit out of the lunches I remember during my school days. Don’t misunderstand patriotism with the food choices. I still love my Bhutan.
The principal in one of the schools told me some parents would ask for the school menus and recipe as their kids have asked to prepare the same food at home. Then I thought when I have a child of my own, I want to help my child have a healthy eating habits like Japanese kids. I know most of the kids in Bhutan are exposed to junk food. In between junk food tends to replace those healthier foods. Since I’m one hell of a picky person myself I’m learning to adapt. I don’t have option B because I’m a teacher. It’s Japan, you know! Everyone is same. Okay-dokey!
More than anything, I like the fact that they practise etiquettes and positive lifelong eating habits. 

Want to know Japanese secret to good health and long life? It’s probably the healthy eating habits they’ve picked up as a little kid.

For any questions, leave me a comment.