Where did we go wrong?

[Brian Reay]

We are currently in Brittany. Yesterday we visited Quimper and walked
through a covered food marked. Only a few stalls were open but, even so,
the place was quite busy.

In particular there were a number of teenagers eating lunch from cardboard
boxes- takeaways. Not MacDonalds, KFC etc, but shellfish, fish salads,
etc.

Likewise, when we’ve stopped to have lunch, we’ve often noticed youngsters
in restaurants - in groups- eating proper food.

There are fast food places in France, probably not as many as we have, so
it can’t be that they can’t get burgers etc.

[Kev]

Post by Brian Reay
We are currently in Brittany. Yesterday we visited Quimper and walked
through a covered food marked. Only a few stalls were open but, even so,
the place was quite busy.
In particular there were a number of teenagers eating lunch from cardboard
boxes- takeaways. Not MacDonalds, KFC etc, but shellfish, fish salads,
etc.
Likewise, when we’ve stopped to have lunch, we’ve often noticed youngsters
in restaurants - in groups- eating proper food.
There are fast food places in France, probably not as many as we have, so
it can’t be that they can’t get burgers etc.

From primary school, they stop for a proper lunch - usually 3 courses,
and not consisting of burger and chips. Its a thought.

[Brian Reay]

Post by Kev

Post by Brian Reay
We are currently in Brittany. Yesterday we visited Quimper and walked
through a covered food marked. Only a few stalls were open but, even so,
the place was quite busy.
In particular there were a number of teenagers eating lunch from cardboard
boxes- takeaways. Not MacDonalds, KFC etc, but shellfish, fish salads,
etc.
Likewise, when we’ve stopped to have lunch, we’ve often noticed youngsters
in restaurants - in groups- eating proper food.
There are fast food places in France, probably not as many as we have, so
it can’t be that they can’t get burgers etc.

From primary school, they stop for a proper lunch - usually 3 courses,
and not consisting of burger and chips. Its a thought.

The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.


As for burgers etc, are they the result or the cause? Burgers are
available in France - there aren’t as many MacDonalds etc but there is no
shortage. I’ve not noticed a KFC but then I’ve not looked for one. They do
have Pizza places but not the chains. Wandering around their supermarkets,
their do stock (so presumably sell) much the same convenience food as ours
do but looking into peoples trolleys in the checkout lines, I’m not noticed
people with boxes of frozen convenience food I often do in the UK.

We like to shop in Le Clerc if we can find one, they usually have an
excellent range of fresh veg/fruit/fish etc . Yesterday we picked up some
fish and cooked it (we have a motorhome) at it was excellent.

[s***@gowanhill.com]

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must sit for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.

First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html

Owain

[graham]

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must sit for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain

Not only that but AIUI, nutrition is also taught in primary schools.
Graham

[Brian Reay]

Post by graham

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must
sit for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain

Not only that but AIUI, nutrition is also taught in primary schools.
Graham

Around the time I was retiring from teaching (2014), my school was having
some very impressive kitchen/classrooms built. They had just been finished
around the time I retired. The school was all male to 16, and the idea was
that pupils would be taught nutrition/cooking. Previously, it had been
covered but only from a theoretical angle.

I trained in an all girls school. The kitchen classrooms there had been
torn out some years before- you can guess why.
No, I’m not suggesting cooking is women’s work, not remotely.

[graham]

Post by Brian Reay

Post by graham

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must
sit for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain

Not only that but AIUI, nutrition is also taught in primary schools.
Graham

Around the time I was retiring from teaching (2014), my school was having
some very impressive kitchen/classrooms built. They had just been finished
around the time I retired. The school was all male to 16, and the idea was
that pupils would be taught nutrition/cooking. Previously, it had been
covered but only from a theoretical angle.
I trained in an all girls school. The kitchen classrooms there had been
torn out some years before- you can guess why.
No, I’m not suggesting cooking is women’s work, not remotely.

At my village school, back in the 50s, the 12-15 yr old boys did
gardening and woodwork. The girls did cookery and needlework. Only
needlework survived at the grammar school.
I suppose these classes were the first to be cut when money became
tight. Alberta has just elected a RW government and there are talks of
budget cuts which will mean increased class sizes. Of course there has
already been a tax cut to "pay" for this:-(

[Brian Reay]

Post by graham

Post by Brian Reay

Post by graham

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must
sit for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain

Not only that but AIUI, nutrition is also taught in primary schools.
Graham

Around the time I was retiring from teaching (2014), my school was having
some very impressive kitchen/classrooms built. They had just been finished
around the time I retired. The school was all male to 16, and the idea was
that pupils would be taught nutrition/cooking. Previously, it had been
covered but only from a theoretical angle.
I trained in an all girls school. The kitchen classrooms there had been
torn out some years before- you can guess why.
No, I’m not suggesting cooking is women’s work, not remotely.

At my village school, back in the 50s, the 12-15 yr old boys did
gardening and woodwork. The girls did cookery and needlework. Only
needlework survived at the grammar school.
I suppose these classes were the first to be cut when money became
tight. Alberta has just elected a RW government and there are talks of
budget cuts which will mean increased class sizes. Of course there has
already been a tax cut to "pay" for this:-(

Neither wood work or needlework, as pure subjects, are taught these days
in the UK.

They are included in other 'bundled' subjects- Design Technology or
perhaps something like Fashion Design for needlework. When I was
training, I observed a lesson of 6th formers who were learning how to
knit - I actually ended up showing some of them the basics. I can't
recall the name of the subject- I think Fashion Design or similar. At
one time such things would have been taught in primary school here- my
wife tells me she could knit as a child and I remember the girls
learning to knit etc when I was in primary school. That was in the
1960s- I'm 62.

[graham]

Post by Brian Reay
Neither wood work or needlework, as pure subjects, are taught these days
in the UK.
They are included in other 'bundled' subjects- Design Technology or
perhaps something like Fashion Design for needlework. When I was
training, I observed a lesson of 6th formers who were learning how to
knit - I actually ended up showing some of them the basics. I can't
recall the name of the subject- I think Fashion Design or similar. At
one time such things would have been taught in primary school here- my
wife tells me she could knit as a child and I remember the girls
learning to knit etc when I was in primary school. That was in the
1960s- I'm 62.

I also learned to knit in primary school (in Suffolk) and promptly
forgot it.
The class in Junior High here is called "Home Economics" and it's just
home survival skills. Boys and girls take it and the "Domestic Science"
teachers of my childhood (I'm 75) would have a pink fit if they saw the
dishes being taught, such as pizzas made from pre-made everything. There
is also a class called "Shop" meaning workshop where they make things
from metal and wood. ISTR that only boys took it when my sons were at
school.

[Brian Reay]

Post by graham

Post by Brian Reay
Neither wood work or needlework, as pure subjects, are taught these days
in the UK.
They are included in other 'bundled' subjects- Design Technology or
perhaps something like Fashion Design for needlework. When I was
training, I observed a lesson of 6th formers who were learning how to
knit - I actually ended up showing some of them the basics. I can't
recall the name of the subject- I think Fashion Design or similar. At
one time such things would have been taught in primary school here- my
wife tells me she could knit as a child and I remember the girls
learning to knit etc when I was in primary school. That was in the
1960s- I'm 62.

I also learned to knit in primary school (in Suffolk) and promptly
forgot it.
The class in Junior High here is called "Home Economics" and it's just
home survival skills. Boys and girls take it and the "Domestic Science"
teachers of my childhood (I'm 75) would have a pink fit if they saw the
dishes being taught, such as pizzas made from pre-made everything. There
is also a class called "Shop" meaning workshop where they make things
from metal and wood. ISTR that only boys took it when my sons were at
school.

Just prior to going to Uni, I worked for a gap year as Lab Technician in a
school. The science dept shared a building with a couple of other
departments, one of which was Home Economics. The Head of HE used to
supply us with excellent cakes and scones. I’m not a great cake fan, other
than fruit cake, but I do like scones

[Brian Reay]

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must
sit for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain

Can you imagine the uproar if that was served in the UK?

We’d have parents smuggling fish and chips in complete with deep fried Mars
Bars.

[Ophelia]

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must sit
for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.

First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html

Owain

====

That sounds lovely. Much different to what we had back in the day:)

[Brian Reay]

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must sit
for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain
====
That sounds lovely. Much different to what we had back in the day:)

Indeed.

I don’t recall school meals when I was a pupil being that good. In the
later years they improved, after a new facility was built. There were a few
things which were good- an excellent cheese pie and what was called Russian
Salad, essentially coleslaw. Some of the puddings were good.

[Ophelia]

Post by s***@gowanhill.com

Post by Brian Reay
The French certainly are famous for their long lunches but I don’t know how
their school lunches work. Certainly their school day is different to ours.

At least in primary school, there's a set menu and I believe they must sit
for 30 mins and eat it, so they can't skip food and run away and play.
First course: Cucumber and tomato salad
Main course: Veal marinated with mushrooms, broccoli
Cheese
Dessert: Apple tart
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14845/what-french-kids-eat-for-school-lunch-it-puts-americans-to-shame.html
Owain
====
That sounds lovely. Much different to what we had back in the day:)

Indeed.

I don’t recall school meals when I was a pupil being that good. In the
later years they improved, after a new facility was built. There were a few
things which were good- an excellent cheese pie and what was called Russian
Salad, essentially coleslaw. Some of the puddings were good.

====

I can't really remember too much about them but they were most certainly
nothing like that menu <g>