So one of the things I have money automatically taken out of my paycheck every month is payment for my school lunch. I think it’s about ₩70,000  or $59 USD per month. About $1.90 a day. So quite affordable compared to lunches I use to pay for back in the USA.

Lunch time here is always at the same time and in my school I eat with all the rest of the teachers and school staff in the cafeteria. Teachers are the first in line to get food while the students wait to be let in. Once you get your food, you can add some other banchan (반찬 / side dishes like kimchi) if you want and then it’s time to chow down. And the food here is great!

Lunch is served on metal plates with steel chopsticks and a spoon. Majority of the meals I’ve had so far always include a soup, rice and side dishes (banchan) of vegetables. One of the best things I think is that most of the servings are quite small. I’ve started scooping out a smaller amount of rice to: 1) cut back on starchy carbs and 2) not have so much leftover. If you do have leftovers, scoop everything into your soup bowl. This makes chucking your food waste in the garbage pail done easily and quickly.

Monday: Corn Rice, Potato Vegetable Soup, Crispy Chicken Tender, Braised Fish, Side Dishes, and a long pretzel with chocolate syrup

Tuesday: Millet rice, Kimchi Jjigae, Pizza Cheese Hamburger, Fish Cake, Side Dishes and dried seaweed.

Wednesday: Chicken Mayo Rice Bowl, Katsuo Soup, Tteokbokki, Fried Spicy Squid, Steamed Bok Choy & A tangerine

Thursday:Black Rice & Sweet Pumpkin Crab Soup, Spicy Pork Ribs, Seasoned Leaves, Anchovy, Mushroom Japchae and Kimchi

Friday: Tuna & Vegetable Bibimbap, Sweet Potato, Cheese & Pork cutlet, Honey Butter Lotus Chips, Cucumber, Kimchi & Moon Chestnut Latte

There are times where I choose not to eat a package dessert or drink. Like on Friday with the Moon Chestnut Latte, I opted not to drink it. Instead I walked up to a group of my 3rd year boys and asked who wanted it! Of course after a quick game of Rock, Paper Scissors, eventually someone wins and gets it!

Lunches definitely vary over here. Sometimes we get very Western-Style food with a bit of Asian sensibilities chucked in. But even then, sometimes I still prefer the more Asian or rather, Korean-style food for lunch.

Did any of these lunches look good to you? Which one would you like to try the most?

Until next time…안녕히 가세요, jane*