FUKUOKA - In Fukuoka City, a photo of a school lunch consisting of just one piece of fried chicken has been widely shared on social media, drawing public attention. In response, the city has launched a project involving external experts to consider improvements in the appearance and overall presentation of school lunches.
The photo, taken in April, shows a meal of barley rice, spring cabbage miso soup, and a single piece of fried chicken as the main dish. Many comments online expressed concern, with users saying, "It looks too lonely," "It’s not enough," and "Children should be able to eat until they are full." On the streets, residents echoed similar sentiments, saying they saw the image on TikTok and felt the portion was too small, with some suggesting the addition of tomatoes or other colorful items to make the meal more appealing.
The Fukuoka City Board of Education explained that the decision to serve one piece of fried chicken took into account the workload involved in preparing and serving the meals. By offering a larger piece weighing about 60 grams, they aim to reduce the effort required for cooking and serving, allowing staff to complete the serving process in one pass and secure more time for the children to eat. Officials emphasized that from a nutritional and caloric standpoint, the meal meets required standards, though they acknowledged that visually, a single piece may appear sparse.
An examination of the city's school lunch menu shows that on June 10th, the main dish was a single croquette, while today's meal features one hamburger patty. The accompanying potato cream soup is rich in vegetables, and the entire meal provides 655 kilocalories, indicating no significant nutritional deficiencies.
Regarding costs, Fukuoka's monthly school lunch fees are 4,200 yen for elementary schools and 5,000 yen for junior high schools, roughly 400 yen below the national average. These rates have remained unchanged for the past decade. Since fiscal 2022, the city has also absorbed price increases due to inflation, with this year's subsidy amounting to approximately 1.2 billion yen, a burden that continues to grow annually.
Amid these circumstances, Fukuoka City has decided to make school lunches free at junior high schools and other institutions starting from the second term as part of its child-rearing support measures. The Board of Education stated that going forward, they plan to incorporate ideas and feedback from private sector experts involved in food services to further enhance the quality of school lunches. As one of the daily highlights for children, attention is now focused on how Fukuoka’s school lunches will evolve in the future.
Source: FBS福岡放送ニュース
