Development of School Lunch Program Based on Taste Education in France

Abstract

We conducted a lunch-time taste education program based on Jacques Puisais' approach for 3rd grade schoolchildren in an elementary school in Japan. We prepared worksheets in which the children described the food using each of the five senses. The children practised "Mandarat" in advance, so that they could easily think of appropriate words for describing the food. We also prepared taste cards to allow the children to express their feelings freely. The children recorded their impressions of the school lunch for 6 months without any suggestions. Initially, they described the food using only the word "delicious"; however, gradually they referred to the colours, shapes, textures, sounds, and smell or aroma of the foods. Food wastage from the school lunch gradually decreased as this program progressed, and almost no food wastage was reported after 6 months.