A feature called “Nishitsu Survey (tentative),” where we turn a “quick question for readers + results from the previous question” into an article.
(Inspired by Hirakata Tsushin, which runs surveys. Respect!)
目次
Last time’s survey was
“What was your favorite school lunch when you were in elementary school?”
Survey period: November 27–December 3
Number of responses: 72
This time, 72 people answered the survey and shared their school lunch memories with lots of passionヽ(^o^)丿
Nishinomiya school lunches are something we’re proud of, and transfer students always say they’re “delicious”(*^^)v
Whether you spent your elementary school days in Nishinomiya or enjoyed them somewhere else,
please enjoy the survey results＼(^o^)／
Survey Results for “What was your favorite school lunch when you were in elementary school?”
| Menu | Votes | Specific menu names |
|---|---|---|
| Kinako bread | 13 votes | Fried bread Kinako bread |
| Curry dishes | 12 votes | Curry Curry stew Dry curry Macaroni simmered in curry Katsu curry Summer vegetable curry stew |
| Whale dishes | 8 votes | Tatsuta-age Kohaku-age Yamato-ni Norwegian-style |
| Jelly desserts | 7 votes | Fruit jelly Tokuren jelly Frozen jelly |
| Sukiyaki-style | 4 votes | Sukiyaki-style Sukiyaki-style simmered dish |
| Line bread Sweet-and-spicy simmered chicken | 3 votes | |
| Hayashi rice | 2 votes |
Whale dishes are considered luxury ingredients nowadays! They were really popular back then!(^^)!
Kinako fried bread came in first, while curry dishes like curry rice and curry stew were a close second(*^^)v
I grew up in Nishinomiya. Back then, school lunches were made at each school, and the bread was delivered from nearby bakeries, so it tasted extra special. I still remember how delicious the fried bread was!
Here are comments from people who shared their memories along with their answers↓
Tanabata jelly, katsu curry
I wrote “I want to eat katsu curry!” in the communication notebook for the school lunch center staff, and starting the next month, katsu curry was served once a month! Maybe adding a childlike drawing helped win over the adults. lol
Female, 30s
I wrote “I want to eat katsu curry!” in the communication notebook for the school lunch center staff, and starting the next month, katsu curry was served once a month! Maybe adding a childlike drawing helped win over the adults. lol
Female, 30s
Whale tatsuta-age
I lived in Kobe during elementary school, but I still can’t forget that indescribable texture!
Male, 40s
I lived in Kobe during elementary school, but I still can’t forget that indescribable texture!
Male, 40s
Kinako bread
It was fried bread coated in kinako, and I loved the crispy parts. When there were leftovers, we’d play rock-paper-scissors for them.
Male, 30s
It was fried bread coated in kinako, and I loved the crispy parts. When there were leftovers, we’d play rock-paper-scissors for them.
Male, 30s
Whale kohaku-age
Whale wasn’t something we ate at home. It was a little tough and savory, and I liked it.
Female, 50s
Whale wasn’t something we ate at home. It was a little tough and savory, and I liked it.
Female, 50s
Kinako bread, bibimbap, Chinese soup
I hated green peas, so I would pick them out one by one and give them all away＾＾
Female, 20s
I hated green peas, so I would pick them out one by one and give them all away＾＾
Female, 20s
Mandarin orange jelly
The half-frozen texture was irresistible.
Male, 40s
The half-frozen texture was irresistible.
Male, 40s
Cream stew
Whenever cream stew was served, bread always came with it, and I absolutely loved dipping the bread in it lol
Male, 20s
Whenever cream stew was served, bread always came with it, and I absolutely loved dipping the bread in it lol
Male, 20s
Frozen mandarin oranges.
This was in Osaka City, not Hyogo.
Female, 40s
This was in Osaka City, not Hyogo.
Female, 40s
Whale yamato-ni
Not many students liked this side dish, so it was happy time with unlimited seconds!
Male, 60 or older
Not many students liked this side dish, so it was happy time with unlimited seconds!
Male, 60 or older
Frozen jelly
Since it was dessert, by the time we ate it, it had melted just enough to be half-frozen, and it was delicious.
Male, 40s
Since it was dessert, by the time we ate it, it had melted just enough to be half-frozen, and it was delicious.
Male, 40s
Norwegian-style whale meat
My elementary school was in Kobe City.
Male, 50s
My elementary school was in Kobe City.
Male, 50s
White stew
To be honest, I didn’t really like school lunch, but this was the one thing I looked forward to! I’m 40 now, and I’ve lived in Nishinomiya all my life and even taught at an elementary school here. Compared with school lunches now, raw vegetables aren’t served anymore (there used to be things like a whole tomato), but many of the old menu items are still around, and the taste hasn’t changed.
Female, 40s
To be honest, I didn’t really like school lunch, but this was the one thing I looked forward to! I’m 40 now, and I’ve lived in Nishinomiya all my life and even taught at an elementary school here. Compared with school lunches now, raw vegetables aren’t served anymore (there used to be things like a whole tomato), but many of the old menu items are still around, and the taste hasn’t changed.
Female, 40s
Sweet-and-spicy simmered chicken
Basically, I disliked school lunch, but I feel like “sweet-and-spicy simmered chicken” was the one dish I liked.
Female, 50s
Basically, I disliked school lunch, but I feel like “sweet-and-spicy simmered chicken” was the one dish I liked.
Female, 50s
Yayoi fruit jelly (the frozen one), macaroni, carrots, beef stew with macaroni, thinly sliced beef, and potatoes
1. I transferred from Amagasaki to an elementary school in Nishinomiya. The plates and bowls had been aluminum, but they changed to reddish-brown resin ones with white interiors, so they weren’t hot to hold, which made me happy. 2. Meiji milk in glass bottles. As a student on lunch duty, I hated carrying the yellow cases because they were so heavy.
Male, 50s
1. I transferred from Amagasaki to an elementary school in Nishinomiya. The plates and bowls had been aluminum, but they changed to reddish-brown resin ones with white interiors, so they weren’t hot to hold, which made me happy. 2. Meiji milk in glass bottles. As a student on lunch duty, I hated carrying the yellow cases because they were so heavy.
Male, 50s
Fruit jelly
I remember it because it was delicious when it was slightly frozen. Overall, the school lunches were tasty.
Female, 50s
I remember it because it was delicious when it was slightly frozen. Overall, the school lunches were tasty.
Female, 50s
Whale tatsuta-ni
I liked chocolate margarine.
Male, 50s
I liked chocolate margarine.
Male, 50s
Animal-face cheese, cup jelly, etc.
If it was a packaged ready-made item, I could eat it normally and enjoy it. The lunches that came from the school lunch center were terrible.
Female, 30s
If it was a packaged ready-made item, I could eat it normally and enjoy it. The lunches that came from the school lunch center were terrible.
Female, 30s
Sukiyaki-style
When I was on lunch duty and in charge of the food container, I served myself a big portion of sukiyaki-style and put it on my desk.
Female, 30s
When I was on lunch duty and in charge of the food container, I served myself a big portion of sukiyaki-style and put it on my desk.
Female, 30s
Nyumen
I kept begging my friend on lunch duty, “Give me a big serving!”
Male, 30s
I kept begging my friend on lunch duty, “Give me a big serving!”
Male, 30s
Corn potage soup! There were lots of others too, though.
When I was on lunch duty, carrying the basket full of milk bottles was so heavy and hard. I can still remember the feeling of the metal wire handle digging into my hand.
Female, 50s
When I was on lunch duty, carrying the basket full of milk bottles was so heavy and hard. I can still remember the feeling of the metal wire handle digging into my hand.
Female, 50s
Sukiyaki-style and maybe egg-drop soup
I later learned that line bread wasn’t served in school lunches outside Nishinomiya.
Male, 40s
I later learned that line bread wasn’t served in school lunches outside Nishinomiya.
Male, 40s
Line bread
In fifth grade, I transferred from Kobe to a school in Nishinomiya, and the first time I had line bread at lunch, it felt so new to me. It was an oval-shaped bread with what looked like a thin line of custard cream down the middle. Until then, I had only eaten things like koppepan rolls or sliced bread, so I thought Nishinomiya City’s school lunches were delicious.
Female, 40s
In fifth grade, I transferred from Kobe to a school in Nishinomiya, and the first time I had line bread at lunch, it felt so new to me. It was an oval-shaped bread with what looked like a thin line of custard cream down the middle. Until then, I had only eaten things like koppepan rolls or sliced bread, so I thought Nishinomiya City’s school lunches were delicious.
Female, 40s
Kinako bread
Back then I was a light eater and didn’t like koppepan rolls. Kinako bread was the only one I could enjoy eating. I still like it now.
Female, 40s
Back then I was a light eater and didn’t like koppepan rolls. Kinako bread was the only one I could enjoy eating. I still like it now.
Female, 40s
Yachiyo fruit jelly (half-frozen), line bread (with a sweet cream line running down the center of the surface)
After moving from Amagasaki to Nishinomiya, my very first school lunch was curry rice. At my elementary school in Amagasaki, we were only allowed to bring chopsticks, and since it was my first day after transferring, I didn’t have a spoon, so I desperately ate it with chopsticks… As soon as I got home, I had my parents buy me a set with chopsticks and a spoon.
Female, 40s
After moving from Amagasaki to Nishinomiya, my very first school lunch was curry rice. At my elementary school in Amagasaki, we were only allowed to bring chopsticks, and since it was my first day after transferring, I didn’t have a spoon, so I desperately ate it with chopsticks… As soon as I got home, I had my parents buy me a set with chopsticks and a spoon.
Female, 40s
Curry stew
It tastes good when eaten with bread.
Male, 60 or older
It tastes good when eaten with bread.
Male, 60 or older
Kinako bread
Sweet-and-spicy fried whale? I couldn’t bite through it or swallow it. It was a time when you weren’t allowed to leave food behind. I often kept eating until cleaning time.
Female, 50s
Sweet-and-spicy fried whale? I couldn’t bite through it or swallow it. It was a time when you weren’t allowed to leave food behind. I often kept eating until cleaning time.
Female, 50s
Pho ga
It was just so good!
Male, 20s
It was just so good!
Male, 20s
Fried bread
It was by far the favorite for both parent and child! I tried all kinds of recipes to recreate school lunch fried bread, but none of them were quite right! Maybe my memories made it taste better, though, lol. Oh, and frozen mandarin oranges and wakame rice are great too! My family had fun talking about it.
Male, 40s
It was by far the favorite for both parent and child! I tried all kinds of recipes to recreate school lunch fried bread, but none of them were quite right! Maybe my memories made it taste better, though, lol. Oh, and frozen mandarin oranges and wakame rice are great too! My family had fun talking about it.
Male, 40s
Whale yamato-ni
I liked eating it sandwiched in bread.
Male, 50s
I liked eating it sandwiched in bread.
Male, 50s
Kinako bread
I couldn’t decide whether to eat it with chopsticks or with my hands.
Male, teens
I couldn’t decide whether to eat it with chopsticks or with my hands.
Male, teens
Dixie peanut cream, brown sugar bread
The milk of the child next to me spilled into my music bag…
Female, 20s
The milk of the child next to me spilled into my music bag…
Female, 20s
Kinako bread
I used to give half my bread to the boy I liked, but I never gave him my kinako bread??
Female, 50s
I used to give half my bread to the boy I liked, but I never gave him my kinako bread??
Female, 50s
Curry
On a day when my favorite curry was served, my friend was on lunch duty and fell while carrying the curry from the lunch room, spilling all of it…
Male, 30s
On a day when my favorite curry was served, my friend was on lunch duty and fell while carrying the curry from the lunch room, spilling all of it…
Male, 30s
Bubble fruit
At the time, it was an unusual mousse dessert. I remember the battles for extras when someone was absent.??
Female, 50s
At the time, it was an unusual mousse dessert. I remember the battles for extras when someone was absent.??
Female, 50s
Takikomi gohan
There were all kinds, so I never got tired of it no matter when it was served! In my class, there was always some left over, so we could have unlimited seconds!
Female, teens
There were all kinds, so I never got tired of it no matter when it was served! In my class, there was always some left over, so we could have unlimited seconds!
Female, teens
Sweet-and-spicy simmered chicken
I even ate other people’s portions.
Male, 50s
I even ate other people’s portions.
Male, 50s
Spaghetti with meat sauce
The meat sauce was mixed in, and it was very good. I also liked fried bread.
Male, 50s
The meat sauce was mixed in, and it was very good. I also liked fried bread.
Male, 50s
Koppepan rolls and brown bread
Brown bread came with almond cheese, and I would nibble on the cheese while putting little bits into the small bread.
Female, 40s
Brown bread came with almond cheese, and I would nibble on the cheese while putting little bits into the small bread.
Female, 40s
Kinako bread
The bottom tier would get soggy, so everyone tended to fight over the top tier.
Female, 30s
The bottom tier would get soggy, so everyone tended to fight over the top tier.
Female, 30s
Curry stew
At Christmas, we got cupcakes.
Female, 50s
At Christmas, we got cupcakes.
Female, 50s
Ice cream
On ice cream days, I’d find myself hoping someone would be absent. If there were extras, I remember everyone who wanted one would play rock-paper-scissors.
Female, 40s
On ice cream days, I’d find myself hoping someone would be absent. If there were extras, I remember everyone who wanted one would play rock-paper-scissors.
Female, 40s
Sunomono
I was shocked because sunomono was served the day after I graduated.
Female, teens
I was shocked because sunomono was served the day after I graduated.
Female, teens
Napolitan spaghetti
You could tell from the smell of ketchup drifting from the lunch room~
Male, 60 or older
You could tell from the smell of ketchup drifting from the lunch room~
Male, 60 or older
Curry
I ate quickly so I could get seconds.
Male, 50s
I ate quickly so I could get seconds.
Male, 50s
Tokuren jelly
I was a slow eater, so school lunch was depressing, but on Tokuren jelly days, I did my best to eat.
Female, 40s
I was a slow eater, so school lunch was depressing, but on Tokuren jelly days, I did my best to eat.
Female, 40s
Line bread
It’s bread with custard placed in a line down the center. It was so delicious that even though I usually never left food, I remember saving it and taking it home because I wanted my mother to try it.
Male, 40s
It’s bread with custard placed in a line down the center. It was so delicious that even though I usually never left food, I remember saving it and taking it home because I wanted my mother to try it.
Male, 40s
Kinako bread
Whenever it was kinako bread day, an intense rock-paper-scissors tournament would break out lol
Male, 20s
Whenever it was kinako bread day, an intense rock-paper-scissors tournament would break out lol
Male, 20s
Sweet-and-spicy simmered chicken
It was so good that I wanted my mom to make it, so I put one piece in a plastic bag and took it home.
Female, 40s
It was so good that I wanted my mom to make it, so I put one piece in a plastic bag and took it home.
Female, 40s
Curry stew
It was stew, but curry-flavored, and it had macaroni in it too.
Female, 40s
It was stew, but curry-flavored, and it had macaroni in it too.
Female, 40s
Curry potato bread (?)
I moved here from another prefecture where the school lunches unfortunately weren’t very good, and Nishinomiya’s lunches were so delicious that I came to love school lunch! I had always thought school lunch bread meant dry, crumbly bread that didn’t taste good, but here it was tasty and came in so many varieties, so I even looked forward to bread days. 
I moved here from another prefecture where the school lunches unfortunately weren’t very good, and Nishinomiya’s lunches were so delicious that I came to love school lunch! I had always thought school lunch bread meant dry, crumbly bread that didn’t taste good, but here it was tasty and came in so many varieties, so I even looked forward to bread days.
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