Mr Ferguson’s Classroom

At Midori Hoikuen, the lunch menu is written by a student as a daily classroom chore, then read to class before everyone eats. Unfortunately, even after it was explained to me, the best I can translate is that it’s a little technical, except for the bottom line which reads みかん, mican, meaning orange.

Today’s lunch was nishime, vegetables boiled in water and soy sauce. At the bottom left is lotus root, carrots, french beans, and chikuwa, made from fish. The bottom right is koyadofu, a kind of tofu. Top right is a spinach steamed with bonito flakes (fish, but tastes salty like ham). Top left is potatoes boiled in soy sauce in water. Rice, oranges (locally in season right now), a banana and tea.

I’m happy some new visitors found my pictures last week. To answer some questions left in comments:

The children in the nursery school have recess about three times a day, which doesn’t include group game activities like dodgeball, kick the can, relays, walks or swimming in the summer. Each classroom door leads to an open air hallway and then the children are outside. The doors and windows are open, even in winter if it’s not too cold.

On preparation, usually two cook teachers, as they are respectfully called, prepare the 70-80 lunches for the students and teachers in the school. I see them cutting vegetables when I arrive around 9, and finishing up around 4 or 5, after they’ve prepared snack, which is also usually handmade. They also buy food directly from grocery suppliers, but follow food guidelines determined by the prefectural government.

Thanks for the comments.

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