Japan’s school lunch system is often regarded as one of the best in the world. How do they do it!? What are the nutrition standards? Is it free? We’ll answer all these questions and more on a little deep dive into the national school lunch program, and compare it a bit to our home country of the US.
From the looks of it, the American school lunch program is a lawless land, but what kind of standards do they actually have? And we’ll chat briefly about other countries besides Japan that have excellent school lunch systems.
Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com
Frankie - @franklinthewoman
Cheyenne - @lostwithlow
Words mentioned/useful words
給食 kyushoku - school lunch
References/sources:
What is the school lunch law in Japan?
https://www.spainexchange.com/faq/what-is-the-school-lunch-law-in-japan
Lunch in Japanese Schools
https://education.jnto.go.jp/en/school-in-japan/school-life-in-japan/lunch-in-japanese-schools/
School Lunches Using Local Specialty Ingredients Hit Hard by High Prices; Increased Costs Make Serving Special Dishes Difficult
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20250706-268084/
Food Allergies and Dietary Restrictions in Japan
https://blog.gaijinpot.com/food-allergies-and-dietary-restrictions-in-japan/
School Lunch Programs: A 2025 Update on Past and Present
https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/school-lunch-programs-a-2025-update-on-past-and-present
Free School Lunches Provided in 30% of Japanese Municipalities
The Best School Lunches Around the World
https://ghspomegranate.com/5395/features/the-best-school-lunches-around-the-world/#:~:text=Japan:%20The%20Japanese%20school%20lunch,lacks%2C%20is%20free%20school%20lunch
UPDATE about the free lunches: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/18/japan/ruling-bloc-komeito-school-meal/#:~:text=Ruling%20bloc%20and%20Komeito%20agree,continue%20talks%20on%20the%20matter.
Fun videos to watch:
Life where I’m from: https://youtu.be/fze5s1SlqB8?si=7A3DwkpbZlw_sR01
Paolo from Tokyo: https://youtu.be/j9xYsUPoQVs?si=nP5a491o161zdMpa
Japanese food craftsmen: https://youtu.be/dnBA3QD8xFs?si=LkqlyfMACIyBh2aW
School lunch around the world: https://youtu.be/pD9mk0Y_pyo?si=C16PB7QPbJ9BWM5u
CafCu media: https://youtu.be/hL5mKE4e4uU?si=M3Ng6KpuHE8zRoaV
Time stamps
00:00 happy new year/chat
04:17 school lunches
07:21 laws, regulations, nutrition standards
11:55 allergies and restrictions
17:38 how much do teachers pay for school lunch?
18:17 how kids get involved with lunch
28:33 how does the US compare?
39:51 other countries with great lunch programs