Commentator: Why do Moderates want a 'flimsy' school meal policy?

A commentator has questioned the Moderate Party's proposal in Lidingö, Sweden, to allow students to select only their favorite dishes in school cafeterias. Christer Mohlin, chairman of the education committee, reportedly believes that varied menus and "stew with unclear names" discourage students from eating. He suggests that "food education" should happen at home, and by serving only preferred items, school meals would lose their educational aspect.

However, the article argues that Mohlin misunderstands the role of school food. It asserts that food is deeply connected to values, identity, politics, economics, culture, traditions, and social interaction. In a time when personal conduct is often emphasized, the author finds it perplexing that school meals in Lidingö would be treated as a "playroom" devoid of expectations or challenges.

The piece highlights that this approach breaks with the more than 150-year tradition of school meals in Sweden. The author recalls similar unappealing dishes from their own school days and their daughter's experiences, noting that "stews with unclear names" and "mixed ingredient dishes" have long been a feature. The novelty, the author suggests, lies in the current perception of entitlement and the desire to avoid certain foods.

Swedish school meals, the article contends, deserve a place in the cultural canon alongside parental leave and the right to roam. Sweden is one of the few countries offering cooked, tax-funded school meals to all students, free of charge in preschool, primary, and often secondary school. This practice, with varying forms and scope, dates back to the mid-1800s, with state support for free school meals mandated in 1945 and a legal obligation for municipalities to provide them since 1997.