School Lunches in BA

• the first time I brought a lunch like this:

• ...to school last year I got some weird looks and questions from my 7th grade students...you like uncooked carrots? is that all you're going to eat? don't you want something hot?
• to me, this is a very normal school lunch: deli meat and cheese sandwich with a side of veggies (I think I also had an apple that day, not pictured)
• well then you look around at what everyone else packs for lunch, and you begin realize your lunch is not so "normal" here in BA
• you see a lot more hot dishes that either arrive hot because a nanny or mother dropped it off, or meals that need to be microwaved:

cannot survive without tuppers here

*this was a school-catered lunch...and happened to be the 29th of the month, gnocchi day (they also get a piece of fruit  or dessert with their school lunch meal)

only one empanada today!  I think empanadas are kind of like our sandwiches..and maybe seen more as a snack than a full meal

chicken nuggets and potato balls (like french fries in the shape of a ball)

LOVE their mashed potatoes (aka pure) and  milanesa (breaded meat patty)

also a kind of milanesa

a fellow-teacher's lunch...looks much more appetizing than my cold sandwich and carrots!

• as you can see...pasta is a favorite, along with rice, meat and veggies
• I should point out that Argentines typically eat a fairly small breakfast...maybe a couple pieces of toast and some juice...or tea and cookies...or maybe some cereal, but usually not something too heavy...and our lunch doesn't start until 12:45 for 4th-7th grade...a little later than what's typical in the US
• my students still think I have bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast...silly kids
• below you can see my 7th graders getting the 4th graders to try the black licorice I brought back from the States

• this year, one of the books we read was Roald Dahl's autobiographical book, Boy, where he shares stories of his childhood, particularly his fond memories of visiting a sweet shop after school where he'd buy licorice
• you can't find licorice here, so I brought some back, they thought it was awful, and so they found it pretty hilarious to get the other kids to try it (and quickly spit it out)...definitely an acquired taste!
• all of these photos were taken at lunch on just one day, and therefore don't give the BEST view of the variety of meals these kids bring to school...but it gives you an idea
• thanks to the students for letting me snap shots of your lunches!  they definitely thought I was a little strange for doing it, but I explained to them that this was the best way for me to explain the difference in our school lunch customs :)