School lunch - *NEW POLL!*

[elementarypenguin]

Man, I reckon the lunches here are way better than at my cafeteria when I was in high school! I think it's so much easier to completely ruin Western food. I'm pretty happy with the food here actually.

[zhengmei]

i pay 3,500 won per meal...!!! thought it was a little expensive but i really enjoy the food so far

[Kkh1m]

I love the lunches! very healthy. The lunch lady sees that I have a hungry look or that I'm taller than everyone so she gives me an extra helping of rice. They seem very interested in my chopstick use and if I like spicy food.

[syd wegoda]

i pay 3,500 won per meal...!!! thought it was a little expensive but i really enjoy the food so far

3,500 won - that will be why your lunch is good

[bob7marley]

i spent 2 months eating school food, and then the glorious winter break happened.  there were so many days i had to gag down some food in the cafeteria.  oh how i've missed it.

but my tolerance is way up after spending my break eating the real korean food my cafeteria is trying to imitate.  and now, it's not so bad.  except for the acorn jelly...and the rubbery kimchi...and the octopus...and the, never mind.

and after i loaded up at teacher's dinners eating everything (again, real korean food), no one really cares how much i eat here.  they're proud that i ate a ton of korean food and could use chopsticks, so no one pays attention really now.

take what you can eat, and when you can't eat any more, find something you can.

[tjballard2]

I love the lunches! very healthy. The lunch lady sees that I have a hungry look or that I'm taller than everyone so she gives me an extra helping of rice. They seem very interested in my chopstick use and if I like spicy food.

[minamteacher]

This thread gets better as it goes along. I really wish they had a 'popcorn eating' emoticon because the amount of complaining is reaching epic level. People, you are all adults, if you don't like the food you don't have to eat it, but you should at least give a few weeks before you reject it entirely. Also, as mentioned before, different schools have different quality food, so lets stop generalizing.

[Plompi]

Today I asked my Gr5's how their lunch was. One boy yelled out "Omg! It was sooo yucky!" He was right. Guess we all just have to grin and bear it...

[woman-king]

These threads are always so interesting to me, because of how people's perceptions of food differs so much.

To some people, food is just something you have to shovel down to keep on going.  They don't seem to really understand why someone would complain about not liking something or make a big deal out of having your eating habits micromanaged by your entire English department every day.

Food's a big deal to me.  In that, I'm a huge fan of it, grew up with somewhat-foodie parents and grandparents who grew/raised 90% of what they are, am personally very into cooking as a hobby, eating is a big travel motivation for me, etc.  I have a big issue with someone trying to control what I eat, or how I eat something--I think what I put in my body is my own goddamn business.    I've eaten exactly two times in the cafeteria in over a year and a half in Korea.  I bring my own lunch, and eat it in my office.  Sometimes a few other teachers will bring their own and snack along, usually not.  I'm sure I've scored fewer brownie points doing this than I would if I'd been dutifully inhaling whatever got put on my tray on the cafeteria, but I got a renewed contract this fall, and co-workers who are generally pleasant and considerate towards me, so I find it hard to believe anyone could see this as a massive thing You Must Do for the sake of your professional reputation.  Some schools are probably more anal than mine, but still, you were hired to teach, not eat at lunchtime. 

I'm not lying when I tell people that some Korean food is too spicy for me.  The heavy, red, flavorless-but-burning spice that gets used in tons of stuff here really has imprisoned me for hours in bathrooms in this country before.    Sure, they don't serve it every day, but I'd rather just bring along a sandwich and know I'm good to go every afternoon instead of worrying over whether or not I'll be able to eat lunch that day.  I've said as much to my co-teachers--graciously, of course--and it's really been fine.  Pack your own, eat in the office and make it known that sometimes, foreigners don't do things the Korean way, and that's okay.  They might even enjoy seeing what westerners actually eat on a daily basis.

If you're really worried about offending people, just take care to attend school dinners and make a big deal about enjoying whatever you go out for (it'll usually be better than caferia food--and often, really really good).  It's still sometimes annoying for me to eat out with my school, what with others trying to trim crispy parts off my galbi and commenting on the shocking sprinkling of salt I put on incredibly bland food, but that level of effort goes a long way in assuring everyone that you enjoy at least some Korean food, which is what I think they really want to hear.

[Frozencat99]

People whining about salt are oblivious to how Canadian and American sodium daily intakes are outrageously high. Though, to be honest, I don't expect many people to realistically lament about actual problems. Both hot coffee and kimchi have been linked with esophageal and stomach cancers but only one of them draws the foreigner ire.

If you like the food, you're not delirious. If you don't like it, you're not delirious.

My school has hit and miss lunches. One day I'll have chicken curry rice, shrimp, bean sprout soup, strawberries and kimchi. The next, I'll have spicy squid and egg soup, quail eggs, black bean rice, peppers and kimchi. Is it a let down? Sure. For me, there is no way in hell I'd be saving money by bringing my own lunch unless I cut out all semblance of taste. Regardless, there isn't really a point in generalizing and telling people "you're just lucky" because many of us are "lucky". Many of us are also have different palates. Three meats a day every day wouldn't be lucky for a vegetarian, would it?

As for starches: if you're consuming three at lunch, consume less at other meals. Rice, potatoes, acorn jelly, bean sprouts... etc. also come with minerals, phytominerals, vitamins, fibre... but I suppose its easier if you have a whine instead of adjusting a diet.

[flasyb]

One day I'll have chicken curry rice, shrimp, bean sprout soup, strawberries and kimchi. The next, I'll have spicy squid and egg soup, quail eggs, black bean rice, peppers and kimchi. Is it a let down? Sure.

I'm not sure if one of those meals is supposed to be bad because both sound pretty good to me! Different palates and all that  ;).

[justanotherwaygook]

K, frozencat.

North Americans consume more salt than Koreans, despite the evidence saying the opposite.

And you're right, white rice is super healthy.  It's healthier when it's served in 2 different forms (steamed plain and rice cake).

I'd love to know where the nutritional information citing this information about acorn jelly is.

And right, it's best to eat all of one's starches for one day in a single meal that one doesn't enjoy.

Today was super healthy.  A bowl of 'curry' which is almost all potatoes, tofu and starch to thicken it, white rice, factory kimchi, 'quesadillas' loaded with 'cheese.' 

Honestly, it was not bad tasting.  But the amount of salt, fat and starch in it was huge and sorely lacked real vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, peas, green beans etc.  The only vegetable was very low-quality kimchi and a few shreds of carrots in the curry.

Nobody is telling you that your food is gross or unhealthy.  So why on earth are those of us with bad lunches being told we're wrong?

[Frozencat99]

One day I'll have chicken curry rice, shrimp, bean sprout soup, strawberries and kimchi. The next, I'll have spicy squid and egg soup, quail eggs, black bean rice, peppers and kimchi. Is it a let down? Sure.

I'm not sure if one of those meals is supposed to be bad because both sound pretty good to me! Different palates and all that  ;).

I get nauseous from eggs so that'd be the miss :) Different strokes, indeed.

@justanotherwaygook

Read the entirety of these, they're quite nice. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/sodium/strateg/index-eng.php http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/070410/dq070410a-eng.htm

But no, you're right, it's obvious that we eat less salt than Koreans. Just look at the "evidence" of my salty lunch!

Acorn jelly? I'll be sure to cry about the 3% DRI of carbs based on a 2000 calorie diet after I get over the 18% DRI of protein per serving and 4% of selenium. I'll even give you the 30% sodium intake you're probably getting from the pepper sauce.  http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/acorn-jelly-dodori-muk-korean/

All of the starches in one meal? Wow, that's pretty interesting.

Considering one (US) cup of cooked rice doesn't even come close to the DRI of selenium and based on a 2000 calorie diet only includes 12% of your DRI of carbs. So far we're at 15% DRI of carbs, 22% protein, and 30% sodium.

Let's add in that rice cake. 16% more carbs, 10% more protein, and a 0-1% increase in sodium without spicy sauce. http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/korean-rice-cake-tteok/

I had to use US factory kimchi, but it adds 10% of sodium and 2% to protein. http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/kings/kimchi-2/

So, for lunch, we have a total of 31% DRI of carbs and starches, 324 of protein, 40% sodium. It's strange -- we're getting a third of the DRIs from one of the three main meals of the day.

Gosh I really wish they had the foresight to give me a balanced diet and that there was a nutritional and caloric intake guide for the meal. Oh wait - they provided that, too. On the wall inside the cafeteria and on the elementary school website. It's almost as if Koreans expect you to fulfill your daily requirements outside of lunch.

Next thing you know they'll have four seasons.

[MrBannystar]

My school's a bit run down so the amenities aren't the nicest. But I do enjoy the lunches, even the bones in my fish today were edible (in that I didn't choke on them). I do end up having some random things together though, like today I had fish curry with kimchi and some green things (after I mixed it all up).

The most awkward part is eating with the other teachers in our cafeteria as I feel they're always watching how I eat so I get nervous when holding my chopsticks.

[bobrocket]

I had a pie sandwich yesterday, it was so good. mince and cheese, loaded with tomato sauce. Thick bread pre grilled with cheese.
I miss my Mrs Macs, if only I had a foreman, my little hello kitty toastie maker just doesn't cut it sometimes!

[Frozencat99]

Beef chop suey today, how intriguing.

Though I must say I wish that mackerel radish didn't appear so often.

[TheWB18]

Anyone else get random leaves coated in a really bitter sesame oil?

My school lunch would be healthier if the veggies were edible, but 3 days out of 5 they're soaked in this motor sesame oil.  Not sure what the purpose is; the kids don't like it either.

[artwalknoon]

I've been lucky that all my school lunches have been good so far and only a few items have been too spicy.

[justanotherwaygook]

My super healthy lunch consisted of:
Rice (surprise!)
Salt soup with some weeds and a few cubes of tofu.  (the weeds are probably healthy, so I try my best, but the salt holds me back)
Slimy rice cakes
Factory kimchi
Shreded potatoes coated in oil and curry powder

So healthy and delicious!

[mark]

I find that a good technique to a successful lunch is to bring a few roasted nuts along.. sometimes everything is mushy and crunch makes a world of difference.