Here's what school lunches look like around the world

• Lunch time at school can be one of the best, most important parts of a kid's day, but what kids eat obviously varies.
• Japan kids aren't just served healthy meals; they serve them to teach healthy cooking early.
• In Brazil schools are required to provide students with healthy meals with 30% of ingredients sourced from local farmers.

France

French students can expect up to a four-course meal at lunchtime. They begin with a salad of fresh veg, followed by quality protein like salmon with a side of roasted broccoli. They wouldn't be French without a course of soft cheeses, jam and fresh bread, and kids finish with a sweet confection like before heading back to class.

Japan

In Japan, kids aren't just served healthy meals; they serve them. To teach healthy cooking early, kids take turns helping to cook, serve, and clean up for their peers. Meals are heavy on rice, vegetables, and fish.

Nigeria

students in Nigeria are fed well-balanced meals each day. Meals could include smoky, tomato-y jollof rice with chicken and steamed veg.

Finland

Finland was the first country in the world to provide free lunch to every student, and the law ensures high nutrition standards. Veggies like beetroot salad and roasted turnips take up at least half the plate, starches or grains such as a crepe topped with slightly tart lingonberry jam take up one quarter, and a protein such as hernekeitto, or split pea soup topped with smoked ham takes up the other.Crispbread called Näkkileipä is served on the side.

South Korea

In South Korea, students eat off steel trays sectioned out for perfect portion sizes. The bigger section is for rice, the circle holds soup, and the smaller portions are for tangy, spicy kimchi, some veggies, and meat like marinated strips of pork shoulder called jaeyook bokum.

Ethiopia

With a large orthodox population in Ethiopia, meals are largely plant-based. An array of foods like spicy lentils, zuccini, and yellow split pea stew called - Kik Alicha are eaten with injera, a fermented flat bread.

Hawaii

Thanks to the islands' burgeoning Farm to School Program, kids in Hawaii can expect meals made from scratch with local, fresh ingredients, such as a chicken stir fry with veggies and fresh baked bread on site.

Ukraine

Ukrainian kids get their lunch in three courses. First, a soup course such as borscht, a hearty beef based soup with cabbage and red beets to give it a vibrant color, followed by a meat and starch like grilled sausages with potato and cheese stuffed dumplings called varenyky. They finish sweet with a shortbread biscuit.

United States

A lunch tray in the US could include a gooey grilled cheese on crunchy whole-grain bread with creamy tomato soup, carrot sticks, fruit like a box of raisins and an apple, and a brownie for dessert before heading back to class.

Italy

Italian students run to the cafeteria to receive a two-course meal, and if these kids reside in Rome, the meal by law must be 70% organic.

Primo is the pasta course, while protein and a veg, like grilled chicken with a tasty mozzarella and tomato salad, is served for secondo. Kids get fresh fruit for a sweet finish.

Thailand

According to the World Food Program, Thai students receive the most nutritional lunches in all of Asia. Kids can expect a balanced meal like grilled chicken, sticky rice, and an antioxidant packed spicy, sweet green papaya salad

China

Families in China pay a monthly fee equating to about 70 cents per day for children to receive a boxed lunch. Inside kids can find rice, meat, and vegetables.

Brazil

Food is a constitutional right in Brazil, which means schools are required to provide students with healthy meals with 30% of ingredients sourced from local farmers. Kitchen staff cooks fresh foods like frittatas loaded with veggies, paired with hearty rice and beans and a piece of fruit.

India

Kids in India show up to school with a tiffin box, a stackable metal container filled with a home-cooked meal. What's inside depends on the region. Northern Indian kids might enjoy parathas - seasoned flakey bread accompanied with boondi raita, crispy gram flour balls floating in a sea of spiced yogurt.

Guatemala

Kids in Guatemala go home for lunch, where they'll eat dishes like pasta in a tomato sauce with beets and tortillas.

Israel

With classes six days a week, school in Israel finishes before lunchtime, but kids do bring aruchat eser, a morning meal, which could be a small snack like pita with hummus and a hard-boiled egg.

Trinidad and Tobago

Kids in Trinidad and Tobago might be served rich and gelatinious oxtail stew for lunch paired with buss up, soft and flaky shreds of roti.

Hong Kong

Students in Hong Kong can expect a veggie like steamed broccoli alongside wok-fried pork slices and white rice.

England

English law mandates that schools provide a healthy meal of meat, fruits, and veg and low-sugar breads or starch. A kid in the UK might be served baked cod fingers with a hot jacket potato, a heaping side of beans, and a handful of chocolate biscuits for dessert.

Mexico

In Mexico, instead of a meal, kids might bring along a morning snack, such as a torta layered with spicy bean spread, sliced ham. sliced tomato and fresh crisp lettuce.

Australia

Australian kids eat lunch outside, bringing food from home or buying meals from a cafeteria. Food can include classic takeaway comforts like a sausage roll - pork sausage wrapped snugly in puff pastry - or a savory pie stuffed with tender pieces of steak cooked with vegetables and ale, with a couple sweet chocolate biscuits called Tim Tams for dessert.

Norway

Norwegian schools don't have cafeterias so kids bring a light lunch from home, which could include an open-face sandwich with liverwurst - a sausage of pork liver blended with bold spices like cardamom, coriander, and mace. The meat's texture is almost spreadable, close to pate, and is accompanied by toppings like mustard and cheese. Milk and fresh fruit is provided by the school.

Pakistan

Although students bring a home-cooked lunch daily, teachers in Pakistan are known to contact parents if meals don't err on the healthy side. Kids might bring aloo gosht, a stew of lamb and potatoes, with roti and a sweet and creamy mango lassi in the summer.