This blog post is part of my French Kids School Lunch Project. Every week, I post the school lunch menus from a different village or town in France, where three-course, freshly-prepared hot lunches are provided to over 6 million children in the public school system every day. These meals cost, on average, $3 per child per day (and prices for low-income families are subsidised). My hope is that these menus (together with my other blog posts about the French approach to kid’s food) will spark a conversation about what children CAN eat, and how we can do better at educating them to eat well.
This week we’re in Manosque, a small town best known for being the home of L’Occitan en Provence (some of my favorite French beauty products). Nestled against the highest hills in this region (the forested Verdon Regional Park), Manosque is a gateway to the sparsely populated foothills of the southern Alps. In the surrounding countryside, medieval villages surrounded by lavender fields (that’s why those creams smell so good) are tucked into the valleys between forested hills. It’s amazing to find such a wonderfully preserved region so close to the bustling Mediterranean coast.
So, what are children eating this week in Manosque?
Monday, December 5th
Grated carrot salad
Spaghetti with carbonara sauce
Cheese plate
Fruit compote
Tuesday, December 6th
Cheese crêpe
Omelette
Green and white bean ‘duo’
Fromage blanc (a creamy soft cheese with a slightly thicker consistency than ricotta)
Organic seasonal fruit
Wednesday, December 7th
Orange juice
Couscous and vegetables
St Môret cheese
Crème au chocolat
Thursday, December 8th
Green salad
Chicken scallop with olives
Salsifis (‘purple salsify’ is a traditional vegetable in southern France)
Crème renversée (a sort of baked custard, like creme caramel without the caramel)
Marble cake
Friday, December 9th
Macedonian salad (a mayonnaise-based salad, somewhat like a French version of coleslaw)
Blanquette de la mer (a seafood dish)
Creole rice
Brie cheese
Fresh fruit
Bon Appétit!
ps Crème renversée is one of my favorite French desserts. For a great recipe for the ‘ Crème renversée of my dreams’ see La Tartine Gourmande, a delectable website run by a French expat living in the US.
I’m weeping. I won’t even tell you what’s on the meny here in Houston ISD today. Let’s just say, it ain’t fromage blanc.
Just posted on The Lunch Tray’s Facebook page.
Bettina, Laura, Kia-thanks for your comments! I really do hope that reading these menus gives people the idea that we can do things differently. Will try to blog this week about communities in North America that have committed to making healthy, tasty, fresh menus. In fact, if you have any suggestions of schools or communities you’d like to highlight, let me know!
Oh… crêpes. They are my favorite… we actually have them in the MOMables menus but haven’t made them ‘live’ yet since I wasn’t sure how American parents would react to them. They are one of my favorite staples from growing up …
Yum…this menu sounds delicious!!! Your description of Manosque sounds so lovely that I just want to pack up our luggage and go
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have lunches for our students in North America?!!
I agree with Laura…crepes are the best and they make lunches fun…so Laura make them LIVE on Momables
Karen, you blog posts have become a happy staple in my weekly reading…I can hardly wait for your book!!!!!!
Thanks Kia! This week’s menu is particularly yummy, isn’t it? There are so many great ideas here that I think we could adapt to our kids eating habits here at home.
Laura, I would love it if you would make crepes live on Momables! Let me know if you’re interested and I have lots of great ideas for fillings.
Hi Karen - How long will you be in the area? We are just up the road from Manosque in a little village called Cereste. Do you have time for tea before the end of your trip?
EB
Oh dear, blame it on the jetlag. I thought for a moment you were actually on holiday in the region…if ever, do let us know. EB
Oh man! I want to go back to France and put my daughter a la cantine…
This menu seems yummy… When I read my nephew school’s menu in Toulon (our hometown), I am a bit “jealous”… well, I guess I’ll pack the kids lunch until college -_-
Hello,
I think your blog is very interesting being of mixed cultural heritage myself! May I use some parts of your texts in a 4e ESL class in September? The theme I am prepapring is “Food” (Slow vs Fast, Obesity levels in teens, Snacking…)
Looking forward to hearing from you.
That sounds very interesting. Please do feel free to use the material. I would love to hear the response from your class!