Learning from Japan's 'yummy' school lunches

In the newly released Japanese film "Oishii Kyushoku 3" (unofficial translation: "The Yummy School Lunch 3"), the protagonist is a junior high school math teacher in his 30s who looks forward to the lunch served at his school with the ardor of a teenager waiting for his prom date.

The teacher (played by Japanese heartthrob Hayato Ichihara) does not have a corsage in his hand but his heart surges with joyful expectation. When the clock strikes noon, he does a little dance and sings the school song with his class. Then it is time to eat. He surveys the aluminum tray in front of him with glee while the narrator explains each dish he is about to savor. Whatever else is being served, there is always a bottle of milk and a slice of untoasted white bread.