Here’s an example of a typical school lunch at my junior high school. I pay 4500 yen a month (about 40 US Dollars) for about 19-20 meals a month. Everybody (teachers, students and staff) at the school eats the same thing on a given day. The teachers like to complain about the quality of the food sometimes, but I don’t think it’s that bad, especially not at less than 2 dollars a meal. The whole milk that comes with each lunch took me awhile to get used to since I don’t usually drink milk, and certainly not whole milk, but it’s ok now. The food itself is often a bit bland for my tastes, but I keep a jar of chili flakes (一味å”è¾›å) in my desk drawer to sprinkle on top of bland soups and stews. Mmm!
Menu for 30 June 2006:
- Tofu and Pork Stew
- Seaweed and Cucumber Salad
- White Rice
- Whole Milk