Hi! I come from Greece, I was born and raised in Athens. I'd love to answer a few of your questions on lunch box and generally food in Modern Greece.
Here is what Greeks consider a healthy meal:
I don't have children yet, but I used to prepare lunch for me and my sister almost every morning. Now I prepare a bento style lunch for my husband. Normally I try to balance the nutrients, carbs, protein,veggies etc. I use mostly organic but not always. Usually rice ball (onigiri) or pasta is used for carbs. Fish and other sea food for protein, sometimes cheese, and always veggies and fruit.
I buy fresh food daily and mostly organic. Lunch is a small meal, and has to be filling, healthy and pretty to look at. I don't use raw fish, or raw meat, raw eggs etc for hygiene reasons.
In Greece there in no breakfast. People start their day with a cup of coffee and 3-4 cigarettes. Children have 1 glass of warm milk as breakfast (if they have time). My husband used to start his day like that... I was concerned about his health and started preparing tea and bento for him every morning.
Modern Greece has combined the worst of the West and the Orient... Not only Greeks have adapted the unhealthy eating habits of Western Europeans and Americans, but they reinforce these habits with smoking, eating very late at night, using car all day long, and avoid all physical exercise. Right now the Greeks are the fattest people on earth. 60% of the women are obese, and 50 % of the men. Of course these habits are affecting children too... Bad quality of food, not people that don't have to work for a living), skipping meals, and having both working parents are the main reasons.
Children in Greece start their day at 7-7.30 am. They have to be at school at 8 am. They skip breakfast and usually no one is at home to prepare them a decent breakfast, since most couples are working. The school kiosks (note that there are no cafeterias at schools only kiosks) have these options: prepackaged snacks like chips, candy, and crackers. Also sodas, prepackaged sweet beverages, and sometimes toasted white bread with cheese and ham. Also chewing gum, chocolate, and bake off cheese pies or prepackaged croissants filled with jam and chocolate.So children are having the above for lunch.School is over at 2.30- 4 pm. The parents are getting off their work after 5, usually they are not home on time, and the majority is working over time until 7-9 pm. Children have to order take out late lunch usually pizzas and souvlaki (its a pita bread fried in oil, filled with porkmeat, fried potatoes, tzatziki sauce, and a piece of tomato). Greek families eat together on Weekends. They cook meat a lot. They like homemade burgers and fried stakes. They eat those with fried potatoes.
Here is an article written,
Prevalence of obesity in preschool Greek children, in relation to parental characteristics and region of residence
I don't like what is happening around me.. I'm a vegetarian, and my husband an omnivorous, but I try to make healthy meals for him... I have to explain my self every day for not liking fried meat, and most people make fun of me.Also I don't smoke, and this is also laughing material.
Here is what Greeks consider a healthy meal:
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