After A Picture Of A California School Lunch Went Viral, Here Are School Lunches From 17 Different Countries

Sure, Switzerland's school lunch looks good, but for nearly $14, I'll just bring a PB&J.

Recently, Reddit user u/bestoblivion shared a photo of a school lunch from California that went viral because, well, it looks delicious. It got me wondering what school lunch looks like in other countries, so without further ado, here in alphabetical order are what school lunches look like in 17 different countries.

u/bestoblivion / Via reddit.com

The OP (original poster) u/bestoblivion said the lunch is "zucchini, radish, avocado slices, grapefruit, apples in the bag, and a bean and cheese burrito from a local restaurant. The kids pick out the food they want (it’s buffet style). This kid likes radishes."

1. Canada

u/dadtheviking / Via reddit.com

"It's pierogis and sausage. They have actual chefs, but it's, like, $15 for the food, a drink, and a side. 😭" 

—u/dadtheviking

2. China

u/Altruistic_Dog445 / Via reddit.com

"Looks like spicy lamb skewers, a corn/pea mix with a gravy sauce, spicy bamboo shoots with julienned carrots, lotus root, snow peas, wood ear mushroom mix, and rice." 

—u/coffeesippingbastard

3. Colombia

u/buckeyespud / Via reddit.com

"I think inside the cup was a little dessert of some sort." 

—u/buckeyespud

4. Czech Republic

u/martinpolak / Via reddit.com

5. Denmark

u/SpoochDK / Via reddit.com

"Real silverware, so bougie." 

—u/Rellcotts

6. Estonia

u/Tat1ra / Via reddit.com

"It does taste pretty good." 

—u/Tat1ra

7. Finland

u/Meatballerina / Via reddit.com

"Finland has free lunches for all school kids. It’s always proper, hot food. Plus, salad, bread, and milk." 

—u/prickly_pink_penguin

8. France

u/sickdk / Via reddit.com

According to OP, this is at a French public school and also got served with foie gras.

9. Germany

u/ScoochMagooch / Via reddit.com

"I can confirm this. Also, they look basically the same at all universities, and will cost a student generally under 2 Euros." 

—u/croana

10. Italy

u/sebastianmicu24 / Via reddit.com

"You obviously can choose. OP chose this. In any public uni, you've a selection of primi (pasta or riso), of secondi (veg or meat), and then the pizza. Obviously, fruits and/or yogurt/dessert as well." 

—u/klauskinki

11. Japan

u/Hahnter / Via reddit.com

12. Korea

u/darkrealm190 / Via reddit.com

"Food names starting left to right: salad (샐러드), sauce for seaweed (양념장), kimchi (김치), seasoned eggplant (가지 무침), japchae (잡채), fried shrimp stick (롱새우튀김), rice (밥), roasted seaweed (군김), oxbone hangover soup (통뼈해장국), and a small strawberry cake (작은딸기케이크)."

—u/darkrealm190

13. Romania

u/onestepfwd / Via reddit.com

Yup, that looks like it's just a roll and a carton of milk.

14. Sweden

u/Cool_Kalkon / Via reddit.com

"Seems to be from a buffet, so all kinds of things on the same plate. The main thing would be the 'ris o gryta' (meat stew on rice) to the left. In the front is bean salad (different kind of beans, possibly mixed with something more). Behind that is what I guess is some kind of pasta salad, with spaghetti and green salad. The yellow thing in the background, not sure if it is from the salad table or if it is a vegetarian stew. Well, also a wedge of watermelon, don't think anyone missed that one." 

—u/GlomGruvlig

15. Switzerland

u/QuarterTarget / Via reddit.com

"High school lunch in Switzerland (12.50 francs)." 

—u/QuarterTarget (Note: 12.5 francs is about $13.56 USD.)

16. Thailand

u/PinkKnapsack / Via reddit.com

According to OP, this is larb gai, which is ground chicken with fresh herbs and vegetables.

17. Finally, Turkey

u/Lethal_alchemist / Via reddit.com

Those appear to be plums on the bottom left!

If you have a picture of school lunch you'd like to share, please do! Tell us where it's from, too!