A rising trend in Japan sees students directly drinking milk from their school meal packs. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the necessity of minimizing physical contact, customary milk dispensers are being phased out. Instead, children have started to sip milk directly from the packs provided in schools' lunch programs, promoting a safer eating environment amidst the pandemic.

In Japan, school lunch is not just a meal but an integral part of basic education and represents a cultural value promoting health and community sharing. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a shift in this scenario for safety reasons. Japanese citizens tend to place a high value on collective well-being and innovative solutions that safeguard these traditions while still prioritizing health and safety are typically well-received.

This is contrasting to the US and EU, where school meals often come pre-packaged in individual servings, and it might not be unusual for students to drink directly from a carton or bottle. However, in these areas, there is also an emphasis on plastic reduction and sustainability that simultaneously influences adjustments in school meal distribution.