Think American Kids Hate Their School Lunches? Watch Them Try These International Meals

A frothy glass of chaas might look like milk, but it sure doesn’t taste like it. A group of American kids struggled to stomach a single sip of the traditional yogurt-based drink that’s popular throughout India. The tangy taste was met with a series of disgusted noises and hands used to wipe the dregs from their mouths—but the kids weren’t done yet.

In addition to the Indian meal, the kids tried out typical school lunches from France, Cuba, Sweden, Kenya, Japan, and Afghanistan in a new video from Cut.com.

Children aren’t known for having developed palates—or for being even-tempered—so it’s far from shocking to hear a boy claim a bite of cheese from France made it the worst day of his life. But there were a few surprise hits. The Cuban meal, which included plaintains, rice, and taro, was deemed “not that bad,” and the Kenyan lunch of githeri—a mixture of maize and beans—got a thumbs-up.

More-adventurous eating not only opens up parents’ dinner choices but can jump-start a healthy lifestyle. A 2015 study from Cornell University found that brave adult eaters were more likely to be physically active and seek out nutritious foods.

In the U.S., schoolkids are offered more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains thanks to 2010’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, but childhood obesity remains high. One in three American kids and teens is obese and therefore at higher risk of adult obesity—and a host of potential health problems.

This group of kids might not end up begging their parents to take them out for Indian food, but the point of tasting foreign food wasn’t lost on them.

“Maybe I’ll be more open-minded,” one child conceded.