I have written about high quality French school lunches here and here. For the holiday season, the French school lunch Christmas menu is the highlight! Time and time again I reiterate the idea that French school lunches are of such high quality for one reason: cultural norms. Food is of utmost importance in France. This is most evident during Christmas and year-end celebrations. No expense is spared in the quest for the perfect oysters, foie gras and capon during the holidays. Other French Christmas favourites include seafood (scallops, salmon or lobster), guinea fowl, champagne (of course!), an extensive cheese platter and elegant chocolates. The Buche de Noel, or the Christmas log, is the Christmas dessert. It pops up at local boulangeries and patisseries throughout December.
This holiday meal is replicated at school cafeterias throughout the country the week before the Christmas holiday begins. Le Repas de Noel (the “Christmas Meal”) is something school-aged children look forward to all month. Below is the French school lunch Christmas menu for a Parisian elementary school. Please note every course has a vegetarian alternative.
First course
Salmon rillettes on Swedish bread
Vegetarian: Camembert cheese on a green salad
Main course
Turkey with chestnut sauce + potatoes with green beans and mushrooms
Vegetarian: Bulgur, chicked peas, figs, nuts with a butternut mushroom sauce
Dessert
Chocolate cake with custard cream + Christmas chocolates
In the future, please watch out for other French school lunch menus coming up! If healthy school lunches interest you, please sign up for my newsletter and I will send you the latest news, articles and information on this hot topic!
Photo credit Manon Girardin
