1 in 4 Canadian kids bullied at school about their lunches: survey

A new survey has found that a quarter of Canadian parents say their child has been bullied about the food they bring to school.

In a survey commissioned by Sistema, a plastic food storage manufacturer, researchers found that ‘lunchbox shaming’ disproportionately affects minority and racialized groups more than others.

Parents from Black, Southeast Asian, Latin American, and South Asian communities were twice as likely to answer that their child had experienced lunchbox shaming than white parents.

The survey found that rice dishes, curries, stewed meats or vegetables, and fish dishes were most likely to be shamed for their appearance, smell, or lack of familiarity with other students.

Of the parents surveyed, 80 per cent agreed that teachers and school staff should be more active in preventing lunchbox shaming.

One child, whose mother is originally from Hong Kong told the company that other kids at school called her siew mai or har gow lunch “gross,” and she said the experience was “super embarrassing.”

“The food that we eat, it’s part of our traditions, it’s part of our culture, it’s part of our identity,” her mother said.

A teacher told the company, “The minute that a kid hears ‘eww’ or ‘yuck,’ they’ve shut down for the rest of the day.”

Sistema and Rainbow Plate, a social enterprise that creates food literacy resources and workshops for teachers and parents, have launched a campaign to help end the shaming and foster a more inclusive space at schools during lunchtime.

“When a child brings lunch to school, they’re bringing a little piece of home with them — and that’s special,” said Janet Nezon, Founder of Rainbow Plate. “When lunchbox shaming happens, it hurts children. In fact, Sistema’s survey found that 53 per cent of students who experienced lunchbox shaming felt upset afterward.”