to show you these pictures of Danish children's packed lunches?

[wallyfeatures]

I've followed a few of the lunchbox threads and thought it might be of interest to mumsnet to see what is allowed and typically given to young children here in Denmark in schools and kindergardens. I am a member of a closed facebook group where Danish mothers share ideas on packed lunches. The photos below are a typical sample of what is given to children from 3+ years up. The food shown would be enough for lunch and a mid afternoon snack. Happy to answer questions about what is shown.

@Afreshstartplease do they need a dirty butter knife and crumbs in view for authenticity?! Great idea for a thread.

I have 70 of them to feed for 13 nights so I like to try and vary it as much as possible.

One thing I do notice is, in comparison to my British groups, there are very few kids with food allergies, vegetarians, or any other intolerances. Out of the whole groups last year only one vegetarian. In comparison when I have a similar size group of the same age from the uk, there are invariably a few veggies, dairy allergies, gluten frees.

May be an idea Wally

@datingbarb just found a statistical report on child deaths between 1995 and 200o which says

"Choking, mostly in food, beds or
prams caused six deaths per year"

Not sure how that compares to the UK?

Link to report (in Danish) www.si-folkesundhed.dk/upload/b%C3%B8rnerapport_samlet1.pdf

Not speaking for Denmark but I'm constantly in either Switzerland, Germany or France, bags of crisps like ours just aren't available.

Crisps aren't an accompaniment to a sandwich, they are sold in big bags to serve in bowls at an apero or party.

You just don't find multipack crisps in supermarkets and kids just don't munch on them as a snack.

Now that Subway is growing on prominence it's really the only place where a see an individual bag of crisps as an accompaniment to a sandwich. But I rarely see people in Switzerland actually but them.

Processed meat is eaten without second thought, but then I guess without the oil and salt in a bag of crisps it evens out. It just isn't an issue really. Options are cheese, salami, wurst slices or ham.

Which is why my first stop home in GB is the M&S sandwich fridge.

Cake is for afternoon, I never see anyone eating a cake or chocolate bar with their lunch. Mostly a yogurt.

4000 types of yogurt.....

Wally I see it now - rugbrød med leverpostej - yum!

@datingbarb further down the report it says

Choking
35 children died after choking (about six per year).
Seven choked on food, five in vomit, two tablets and
two toys. Six children were strangled in bed, five in
pram or stroller. In addition, children suffocated
rope, leash, hood and collapsed caves
(See also related fatalities 1975-
2000). Several of the children who were suffocated in food or
vomiting, was disabled.

So that was seven children in a 5 year period who died due to choking on food.

My Danish group mostly ignored the yoghurt

Thanks for posting this op, I thought it was interesting and not smug at all. I'm trying to introduce more veg into my dc's diet so it's good to see examples. Even if I wasn't, I would still find it interesting.

@crispbutty they love ricepudding. But give them butter and cinnamon sugar to put on it.

@crispbutty and @Ineedmorelemonpledge is correct about the yoghurt. They love yoghurt.

eh @crispbutty ? Ignored the yoghurt? Are you sure they were real Danes?

PP mentioning Japanese lunches.....I watched a program about it and 45 minutes to prepare one lunch was considered fine! There are classes for mothers to learn how to create the perfect lunch, its something mothers are judged on very harshly.

Dont get me wrong, they looked incredible but I am very grateful that a marmite sandwich and an apple is acceptable over here!

Right, I have to go and do stuff now. Looking forward to seeing the photos on the other thread in the morning.

I think this is interesting. I love looking at cultural differences.

I've seen pictures of the Japanese lunchboxes before and they are stunning.
I guess the types of foods eaten make a difference to how well you can present them. Presumably quite hard to make a ham sandwich and an apple into a work of art!

OP, I think some people have given you a hard time. You didn't post to be preachy or say Danish lunches are better than English ones, so I think people are reading things in that aren't there.

Lol definately real Danes yes! I think they were too full of bacon and scrambled eggs to bother with the yoghurt perhaps.

I was with you until that 15 year old boy one! My DSS would eat that and then wonder where the main course is - a tiny salad like that!

Although I appreciate the ideas, my 8 year olds have packed lunches which is normally a jam sandwich, satsuma, frube and crisps.

I suspect anyone who is under the assumption that Danes have a healthy balanced diet has never been to Denmark.

Well, there's a lunch box which would be coming home untouched every day.

Packed this for my 14 year old this morning...

Disgruntled You are asking for trouble not cutting up that pear...

DisgruntledGoat

brilliant. Well done for the pear!

I can't believe the fags aren't even menthol. Don't you love your children or something?!

Op, I've really enjoyed reading the thread and seeing what goes into a lunchbox in another country. I'd even enjoy a thread on other meals in different countries.

Thank you.