This week we’re back in Paris, in the 17th arrondissement. The menu is particularly delicious (or maybe I’m just particularly hungry!). As is usual, a ‘treat’ makes an appearance once this week (ice cream), but dessert is fresh fruit the rest of the week. The French believe that treats are fine in moderation, and strive to create a joyful mood around eating-so that children are eager to come to the table and eat. This menu certainly had that effect on me!
Fresh baguette is served with every meal (eaten plain), and the kids drink water. No flavoured milk. No fast food. No ketchup (except if french fries are served - which does occasionally happen!). Food for thought.
Monday March 19th
Lentil and tomato salad
Grilled guinea fowl (often served in France)
Organic cauliflower
Cheese/Dairy: Camembert
Dessert: Banana
Tuesday March 20th
Salad: Potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes
Zucchini and beef gratin (a casserole with a lovely sauce and topping)
Dairy: Fromage blanc (a cross between thick, tangy yogurt and sour cream - yum!) with honey
Dessert: Apple
Wednesday March 21st
Beet and parsley salad
Minced chicken with green pea puree
Dairy: Petit Suisse (a yogurt-style treat)
Dessert: Pear
Thursday March 22nd
Tomato and surimi salad
Organic ravioli a la provencale (rich tomato sauce with onions, olives, red peppers)
Cheese: Saint Paulin (a lovely cheese originally made by Trappist Monks)
Dessert: Icecream
Friday March 23rd
Salad: Greens with cheese (typically served in France: little cubes of a hard, mild cheese like Edam)
Alaska pollock (fish) with lemon and wheat berries, spanish style
Dairy: Plain yogurt
Dessert: Peach with fruit syrup
Bon Appétit!
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.
karenlebillon.com 
Thanks Jen! It’s great that you’re getting interested at this point; I only started figuring this out when my older daughter was just turning 5. Never too late, of course-but better to start earlier! And, so glad you liked the illustrations. Those are by the fabulous Sarah Jane Wright - you should check out her online studio. She makes many wonderful things!
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I am endlessly fascinated by these menus. The food sounds amazing. I actually had to look up what surimi is. I’m afraid I can’t add much to the conversation about what we can do to get children to eat better food because my first child isn’t here yet. But I do look forward to reading the tips in your book, so that I can try to get her excited about healthy and adventurous foods from a young age.
Also, I love the illustrations on your book promo video! They’re just lovely. Congratulations on this book’s upcoming release.
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