A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

The lived experiences of school lunch: an empathy-based study with children in Sweden



Authors: L. Berggren, C. Olsson, S. Talvia, A. Hörnell, M. Rönnlund, M. Waling

Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Publication year: 2019

Journal: Children's Geographies

Journal acronym: CHILD GEOGR

Volume: 18

Issue: 3

First page : 339

Last page: 350

Number of pages: 12

ISSN: 1473-3285

eISSN: 1473-3277

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1642447

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/41392991


Abstract
School lunch is in general regulated through policies and agendas constituted by the perspectives of adults. In this article, we focus on children's lived experiences of school lunch with a special emphasis on emotions and how they relate to social and physical dimensions. This study draws on empathy-based stories written by 10-11 year olds (n = 171) from schools in Sweden. We identified three themes: Interaction and exposure, Routines and restrictions and Food and eating. The children's lived experiences of school lunch and the emotions attached to them are closely associated and intertwined with the socio-spatial dimension of school lunch. A pleasant meal experience seems to require harmonization between the physical and social space whilst negative experiences contain tensions between them, something that actors working with school lunch and school lunch environments should take in consideration when resourcing, planning and scheduling school lunch, and also when designing new school restaurants.

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Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 21:45