# International School Lunches Salad Chain Sweetgreen Recreates Midday Meals from Around the World By Meghan Young | Published 2015-02-24 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/school-lunch References: [fastcoexist](http://www.fastcoexist.com/3042318/take-a-tour-of-mouth-watering-school-lunches-from-around-the-world-and-the-embarrassing-us-e) & [sweetgreen](http://sweetgreen.com/) The [United States](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/red-white-and-blue-bbq-sauces) has been in hot water over the years due to the poor standard of its school lunches. Salad chain [Sweetgreen](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maple-glazed-brussels-sprouts) has decided to compare a typical American midday meal with those from the around the world. In short, it is quite embarrassing. While France, Finland, Brazil and more have plates laden with fruits and vegetables, the US is full of unnecessary carbs. What really stands out, however, is the diversity of every meal. Sweetgreen's co-founder Nic Jammet, notes, "You should be eating what grows around you." These school lunches show that through a predominance of fresh and vibrant foods. On the other hand, the American school lunch is sorely lacking, which will hopefully inspire more action by parents, the government and more. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.9/10 - Popularity: 99% | Activity: 99% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **International School Lunches:** Schools around the world are emphasizing the importance of growing and consuming fresh foods, inspiring a global trend towards incorporating more nutritious and diverse options in student meals. - **Healthy School Lunch Alternatives:** As companies, governments and parents realize the inadequacy of typical American school lunches, there is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating healthier and more diverse school lunch programs. - **Sustainability in School Lunches:** Incorporating locally-grown and plant-based foods into school lunches can reduce the carbon footprint of schools and contribute to a more sustainable food system. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Food and Agriculture:** The industry can explore opportunities to grow more diverse and nutritious crops, and develop innovative solutions for distributing and incorporating them into school lunches. - **Education:** Educational institutions can prioritize teaching students about the importance of fresh and nutritious foods, and collaborate with food industry players to develop sustainable and healthy school lunch programs. - **Government and Policy:** Governments can provide more funding and policies to support sustainable and diverse school lunch programs, and encourage more partnerships between schools and local farmers or food businesses. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Snackable Back-to-School Lunches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lunchers.md) - [Inclusivity-Centric Back-To-School Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backtoschool-survey.md) - [Plant-Based School Lunch Guides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegan-school-lunch-challenge.md) - [Plant-Based Cafeteria Options](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plantbased-lunch-options.md) - [Inclusive Lunch Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/love-your-lunch.md) - [Eco Fast Food Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cool-kids-meal.md) - [Globally Inspired Microwavable Lunches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bonduelle-lunch-bowls.md) - [Kid-Friendly Stacked Lunches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lunchables-1.md) - [Global Cuisine Salad Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fresh-express-chopped-salad-kits.md)