Thursday 6 December 2012

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School Lunch of The Year 2012 in Japan

Dear Martha, and all friends,

Long time no see. Doni is back here. How are you doing?

There is school lunch news from Japan.
Do you remember I tell you before about school lunch cooking contest?

The competition namely "Kyushoku Koshien" (学校給食甲子園) was held in Tokyo last Sunday (2nd of December).

Winter is really here. I find it hard to get up early on cold mornings. But Totally 12 schools and central kitchens cooked exciting at the competition. 2271 schools and central kitchens from all over the country applied for the contest. And 12 schools and kitchens passed the preliminary screening for finalist.

Now, let me just run over some criteria and rules for this competition;

-Menu what you have previously provided as school meals before the date of the finals.
-That according to the Ministry of Education Reference Intakes for school meals.
-Local products to be a menu that uses local products, taking advantage of the features that.
-It has been used as a teaching tool live food and dietary education.
-Nutrients and amount (in the case of elementary school students and volume for middle grade) that is correct.
-It is the menu that nurture children love joy regional
-Cook 6 meals servings within 60 minutes
-Cooking and sanitation management process to follow standards of school meals and health management
-The application form attached a picture of the menu.


Guess what they are doing. They are washing their hands. Yes. It is normal. We should wash our hands before cooking and eating. And then, how long does it take to wash hands? They should take 2 minutes. I worry that washing will chap their hands.


You can see there are four colored Aprons hung on the wall. Each colored apron is used separately depending on the cooking process.

And also you see some thermometer on the table. That is inserted into the center of a roast. It should be checked once the required temperature in food has been obtained.


Sometimes, they also change gloves depending on the process.

It is our standard sanitation management process for school meals based on HACCP(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). And all things of the above are in order to avoid food poisoning.

As you might know, every children must eat same menu and plates in average public schools. It means there is no other alternative for their lunch. Therefore, to prepare school lunch , the most important thing is to prevent food poisoning.


Have I kept you waiting? Let’s see school lunches of finalist for School lunch of The Year 2012 in Japan.

1) Iwate


2) Fukushima


3) Tochigi


4) Saitama (My Place, I cheered.) ;-)


5) Niigata


6) Nagano


7) Aichi


8) Wakayama (Defending champion of 2011)


9) Hiroshima


10) Ehime


11) Kagoshima


12) Okinawa


Please guess who won for this Year. ;-)

21 comments:

  1. They all look delicious! I think 1, 7 or 12 won. But they all look so tasty and inviting. I would eat those for lunch if my work had a cafeteria.

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  2. They all look yummy, way better that the school dinners I had!

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  3. I like 4,6 and 7

    I'm looking forward to know the winner :)

    BR
    Shiri

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  4. I want to say all of them won, because they all look so tasty and healthy! However if I had to chose one that looked the tastiest I would say 5) Niigata :)

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  5. Difficult! They look great. I think Aichi won. Or Niigata. They both look particularly delicious!

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  6. The lunches all look amazing. It's funny how well they represent their local cuisines though. I didn't expect there to be such a difference between the menus since they all have to meet the same government standards. Still, the lunches that look the closest to the ones I eat at school are closer geographically, too!

    If I had to pick a winner I'd go with Ehime or Okinawa. I'd like to try both of those lunches.

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  7. It all looks outstanding. I'd go back to school and study just so I could have those meals. I vote #5) Niigata.
    B"ill in Nova Scotia

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  8. i gues nagano or hiroshima. i think they are the best ones.

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  9. i guess nagano or hiroshima... i liked all too mauch. but i think they are the best ones.

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  10. Looks amazing. Do we have a national school lunch competition in the UK?!? We definitely should!

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  11. Dear Martha!
    Greetings from Shizuoka, Japan!
    I discovered you in TV programme in Japan last Sunday and I wanted to congratulate you on your great initiatives! I can read Latin and your Father is so right!
    Talking of Japan, the names indicated are those of prefectures, not cities which often have the same names.
    Whereas school lunches may turn out terrible in big cities like Tokyo, generally speaking school lunches in the "country" are of a high level in this country.
    For example in Fuji City, Shizuoka prefecture (I live in Shizuoka City) primary schools are ordered by the City Council to designate one teacher or staff whose job is to look for ingredients among local farmers, firshermen or breeders and devise their lunch with them as much as feasible and pupils have to participate to the design of their own school lunches!
    Writing a food blog called "Shizuoka Gourmet" ( http://shizuokagourmet.com/ ) and being a member of a few local gastronomic groups I have only praise for your good work!
    Looking forward for more of the same!
    Best regards,
    Robert-Gilles Martineau

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  12. Dear Martha!
    Greetings from Shizuoka, Japan!
    I discovered you in TV programme in Japan last Sunday and I wanted to congratulate you on your great initiatives! I can read Latin and your Father is so right!
    Talking of Japan, the names indicated are those of prefectures, not cities which often have the same names.
    Whereas school lunches may turn out terrible in big cities like Tokyo, generally speaking school lunches in the "country" are of a high level in this country.
    For example in Fuji City, Shizuoka prefecture (I live in Shizuoka City) primary schools are ordered by the City Council to designate one teacher or staff whose job is to look for ingredients among local farmers, firshermen or breeders and devise their lunch with them as much as feasible and pupils have to participate to the design of their own school lunches!
    Writing a food blog called "Shizuoka Gourmet" ( http://shizuokagourmet.com/ ) and being a member of a few local gastronomic groups I have only praise for your good work!
    Looking forward for more of the same!
    Best regards,
    Robert-Gilles Martineau

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  13. Oh woww, they should all win!!

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  14. Wow it is japanese lunch!!

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  15. I like 2nd one
    2) Fukushima

    wow whats menu u have prepared.
    dont get control but unable.

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  16. From my side, I think Okinawa is the winner. Her dish is looking great among all of them.
    Regards
    Agrodut Mandal
    Assignment Writing Service UK

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