Skolemåltidet som sosial arena og sosial utjevning

Abstract

This chapter provides novel insight into experiences from one municipality in Norway in serving a free lunchtime meal to all school students for the past 14 years, through a program that is still ongoing. The chapter also looks at the School Meal Project in Southern Norway and the experiences of students and teachers with its one-year free school meal program. Overall experiences from these two initiatives are that a free school meal creates a social arena that is important to the students and the teachers. Furthermore, they reduced social inequalities, representing a substantial public health potential. Both students and teachers emphasized that sharing a meal together created social interaction between students and between students and teachers at mealtime, promoted well-being, social learning processes and equality among the students. Social equality was also emphasized because all the students were served the same food, and no one was embarrassed by not bringing a proper packed lunch from home. The students that have received free school meals for 14 years expressed pride in the school meal and that they feel the school/municipality cares about their health and well-being. Municipal administrators registered contentment, improved social skills and reduced social inequality among students.