Barley Porridge and Crispbread – The Story of Finnish School Meals

Barley Porridge and Crispbread – The Story of Finnish School Meals takes visitors on a journey more than a century back in time.

Free meals were originally introduced to encourage children from low-income families to attend school and to secure their nutritional needs during the school day. In 1943, Finland expanded the free school meal into a universal right for every pupil – the first country in the world. School meals became a symbol of the Finnish welfare state and its commitment to equality, wellbeing and learning.

The exhibition highlights the history of school meals and the memories connected to them across different decades. Over more than 80 years, the free meal has touched countless Finns and shaped our understanding of community, nutrition and everyday school life. From humble porridges to today’s responsible, nutritious and socially significant meal service, the journey has been long.

The exhibition is produced in collaboration by The Finnish Museum of Agriculture and the Hotel and Restaurant Museum.