School lunches are Brazil's secret -- and delicious -- weapon in halting hunger

The kindergartners sing at the top of their lungs as they hop and skip their way around the corner and into the small cafeteria at São Paulo's Professor Lourdes Heredia Mello Municipal School.

"Twenty-four, 25, 26!" they shout, counting the number of steps they take before lining up single-file to serve themselves lunch at the buffet-style steam table that, just like the tables and chairs where they sit to eat, is kid-sized.

As he waits his turn, Davi Lucas fidgets with his hands and strains his neck to see the sample plate of food on a side table and another dish of vegetables showing them what's been used to make their meal.

On today's menu is one of the 6-year-old's favorites — pasta with fresh tomato sauce. There's also tuna with vegetables and a kale salad, two things he wouldn't have touched before trying them at school.

He scoops a generous portion of pasta onto his clear glass plate — no plastic or disposable items are used here — and a small spoonful each of tuna and salad.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2024/01/08/1222567378/the-pandemic-sent-hunger-soaring-in-brazil-theyre-fighting-back-with-school-lunc

What a difference!