What should school canteens sell? Students name what they want to see on the menu
From veggie burgers to sushi, here's what teens want to see at school
Would you like a burger at school? Salad? Chinese food?As a foreign student, I find it hard to find food that satisfies my taste buds. I love eating spicy food like Biryani, a Pakistani mixed rice dish. It is full of aromatic spices and I think many students will find the dish as delicious as I do.
Farooq Kainat, 17, HKTA The Yuen Yuen Institute No. 3 Secondary School
I’d add a vegetarian option. Although it probably won’t be a popular choice among students, I still think it’s necessary. All school canteens should have at least one option for vegetarian students. Even if none of the students were vegetarian, it would be good to have an option that is nutritious and less harmful to the environment than meat dishes.
Yau Kin Long, 16, Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Secondary School
I wish our canteen served sushi. Many students have other things to do during their lunch break and don’t have time for a proper sit-down meal. Sushi already comes bite-sized, and can be eaten quickly or even on the go.
Ariel Tang, 14, Sacred Heart Canossian College
I’d add veggie burgers because vegetables are good for us. Many students don’t enjoy eating vegetables, but they might be more willing to if it came in the form of a burger. If they still don’t like the taste of the veggie patty, they can add their favourite sauces to it to make it tastier.
Sam Liang, 15, Scientia Secondary School
I think sushi would be a popular option to have. Plus, sushi rolls can be filled with just about anything. Aside from the standard salmon and crab meat sushi, we can have beef and chicken sushi for those who don’t like seafood, or vegetable-filled sushi for vegetarians.
Trinity Woo Cheuk Nam, 11, St Rose of Lima’s college
I’d add fried rice to the menu. I love the smell and taste of fried rice, but I rarely have it at home. It would be nice to be able to order it for lunch at school. My favourite types are Yangzhou and Hokkien fried rice. I hope my canteen would serve both.
Pang Wing-ho, 18, Immaculate Heart of Mary College
I’d love it if my school canteen would have a soup of the day. I love many kinds of soup, particularly carrot and mushroom soup. It would be so nice to have a hot bowl of soup for lunch, especially during the colder months.
Lee Wai-ting, 12, Immaculate Heart of Mary College
I’d like to add a Thai dish like pad thai or green curry. If my school canteen served Thai food, I would even come during the weekends for lunch!
Yoonjung Choi, 14, Hong Kong International School.
Talking Points: what’s the worst dish in your school canteen?
I’d definitely add beef with rice to the menu. This dish is a good source of protein and iron, and is also very tasty! It’s one of my favourite dishes.
Natalie Lin, 12, Henrietta Secondary School
I’d like to add fish ball noodle soup to my school’s canteen menu. It is healthier than fried food, but is still filling and can give students enough energy to get through the rest of the school day. It is a signature Hong Kong dish, and I think school canteens should offer more local food.
Rosanna Tung, 14, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
I wish we could have a special dish from a different country each week so that students could have the chance to taste some dishes they’ve never tried before. It will encourage students to try new things and might inspire them to want to travel more.
Jacky Leung, 14, Ng Yuk Secondary School