Journal paper

Issue No.	Vol.23　Cross-Linguistic Comparisons of Native Languages in Taiwan (Executive Editor: Lau, Seng-hian)
Title	Analysis of the Origin and Formation Process of School Meals in Taiwan (1951-1972)
Author	Wang, Wan-yu
Page	125-158
Abstract	The paper traces the history and evolution of the school meal program in Taiwan, starting from the donation of skim milk by the United Nations Children’s Fund in 1951, to the termination of international assistance from the United Nations in 1972, and the subsequent independent management of the program. It explores the origins and initial supply of the school meal program, as well as the transitions and the impacts it brought about. The study identifies four main findings: First, it suggests that the initiation of the school meal program in Taiwan can be traced back to the donation of powdered milk by the United Nations in 1951, inspired by the European concept of school meals as part of social welfare and aid. This was followed by the “Lunch Soup” program in the 1960s, which diversified both the sources of aid and ingredients compared to the powdered milk period, while fostering concepts of nutrition and agriculture among students. Second, between 1961 and 1964, while seeking and anticipating aid from the United States, the school meal program transitioned from merely advocating nutritional education in the 1950s to actively planning and implementing the program. Third, from 1964 to 1968, with the formal assistance from the United States and the imminent implementation of compulsory education, the Ministry of Education viewed the school meal program as an effective means to improve enrollment rates. Consequently, it proposed a five-year plan to the UN World Food Programme. However, due to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the United Nations, the program ended prematurely in 1972. Last, with the influx of American aid materials such as soybeans and wheat, the school lunch program became one of the channels for consuming these commodities. To promote wheat-based foods, the government and the United States collaborated to establish noodle companies, and schools set up noodle centers for mass production. This collaboration led to a shift in Taiwanese dietary habits, from being predominantly rice-based to a combination of rice and noodles.
Keyword	school meal, school meal program, US Aid, Wheaten Food Promotion Campaign
Attached File	File download