Kids made fun of my 'stinky' lunch, which taught me a hard lesson about life in America

Freedman says that he spoke to immigrants in Lynn elementary schools, just outside Boston; Some students there were concerned that their lunch menus were nothing like what they ate at home.

“I saw that it was exceptionally rare to find schools including food on the menu that reflected the demographics of their student body,” Freedman says.

“I created this guide for food service staff and school food advocates to begin thinking about how to build more foods into their menus that reflected the lived experience of the students eating it,” says Freedman, adding that it’s also about making schools healthier and introducing foods in a way that all students can embrace.

Tam says it’s not just about the food, though. Seeing a range of types of cuisines also helps develop respect for diversity.

Written by Marcelle Hutchins for PRI's The World. Read the full article here.

---