PDA

View Full Version : Ham salad as main meal



janminder
02-07-2012, 08:40 PM
Just wondering if you would consider this ok as a main meal after school, it was mentioned to one parent in passing that it was the meal for tomorrow as needed a quick meal to fit in with after school activity and they didnt seem happy as their child has sandwich for packed lunch

Choice of Ham, beef, cheese for the non meat eater
Salad potatoes
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Red pepper
Raw carrot


Thanks for your input

Kiddleywinks
02-07-2012, 08:48 PM
What time's tea then? Save me a seat, sounds yummy :laughing:

cathtee
02-07-2012, 08:53 PM
It sound very good to me, you have put potatoes in so there will be something hot, and will give it some carbs. It would be something I would serve, and it could also be served with pasta on another occassion. yummy

samb
02-07-2012, 08:53 PM
Well you are offering meat, potatoes and veg so I'm not sure why this is a problem but maybe to the parent a ham salad is literally ham and salad leaves? Not everyone adds the other bits to bulk it out or make it yummier. How about offering something else like boiled eggs, rice salad, coleslaw or coucous?

The Juggler
02-07-2012, 09:00 PM
sounds like a perfectly balanced meal to me :thumbsup:

francinejayne
02-07-2012, 09:05 PM
we have that as a main meal, delicious! it is my 4 year old son's favourite tea!

Pipsqueak
02-07-2012, 09:06 PM
doesn't that just sum up our attitude to food though in this country.
that is a perfectly acceptable meal - nutritious, balanced, etc

janminder
02-07-2012, 09:11 PM
Thanks for replies, the potatoes were mentioned. I though it was ok but as this parent made the comment and has always been happy with my choices in the past 4 years it made me wonder. They are even happy for their child not to eat with me if they know in advance because of an activity but the child is going straight out from me tomorrow when picked up at 5.30om so wont get anything at home.

Chrissie, tea is at 5pm or just after:)

md0u0131
02-07-2012, 09:14 PM
sounds good to me!

miffy
02-07-2012, 09:15 PM
Was the parents objection because it's a cold meal and child has sandwiches at lunch time (ie another cold meal)?

I would just say you are providing a healthy balanced meal in accordance with the EYFS and leave it at that. If parent still objects say perhaps it would be better if child waited until he got home to eat.

Miffy xx

Helen79
02-07-2012, 10:08 PM
If dd has a packed lunch at school then I'd prefer her to have a cooked meal in the evening but if that's what was for dinner then I wouldn't comment about it. She'd be more than happy with the ham salad but that's what she has for her packed lunch most days.
I'd add hot potatoes, rice or some pasta so it feels a it more filling for the kids who have had a cold lunch at school.

BucksCM
02-07-2012, 10:14 PM
Sounds fine to me too.
Healthy, balanced and yummy!:D

jaswinder bedi
02-07-2012, 10:30 PM
Good healthy diet I will garee with that!!!! I suppose Other menu on list you could add as children love this spaghetti on toast nice and quick with some choice of salad??? :idea::thumbsup:

Bridey
02-07-2012, 10:51 PM
Mmmm, my favourite :)

I serve salad occasionally, with hot crusty bread.

EmmaReed84
03-07-2012, 05:34 AM
That sounds really tasty... I mean REALLY tasty, I had a ham and egg salad yesterday for lunch and that was filling, I even threw some away :eek:

Bridey
03-07-2012, 06:25 AM
What about taking a picture of the child eating their lovely plateful of salad to show the parent?

rickysmiths
03-07-2012, 06:32 AM
As long as the child will actually eat the salad it sounds good to me and it is a tea we often had as children.

If the child is not a salad eater then yes I would have a problem and I would cook peas and broccoli or carrots which could be prepared earlier in the day and don't take long to cook.

marian
03-07-2012, 06:43 AM
Sounds fine to me - in fact I quite fancy a ham and egg salad for tea myself now:)



Marian x

karensmart4
03-07-2012, 07:29 AM
It sounds fine to me except my children never enjoyed salad when they were younger and I would have worried that they hadn't eaten much.

What's for pud?

Mouse
03-07-2012, 07:59 AM
I agree with what someone else has said. Some parents like their child to have at least one hot meal a day, so if they've had sandwiches at lunchtime, they want them to have something cooked in the evening.

My husband is the same. He always says the children need a hot meal in the evening. I say they don't. As long as it's a well balanced meal, what difference does it make it if it's hot or cold?

If all the children are happy to eat salad, I don't see a problem with it. I would probably add some crusty bread and maybe half a boiled egg (delicious with ham), but only because my children are picky about salad :rolleyes:

LOOPYLISA
03-07-2012, 08:18 AM
I agree with what someone else has said. Some parents like their child to have at least one hot meal a day, so if they've had sandwiches at lunchtime, they want them to have something cooked in the evening.

My husband is the same. He always says the children need a hot meal in the evening. I say they don't. As long as it's a well balanced meal, what difference does it make it if it's hot or cold?

If all the children are happy to eat salad, I don't see a problem with it. I would probably add some crusty bread and maybe half a boiled egg (delicious with ham), but only because my children are picky about salad :rolleyes:

:thumbsup:

AliceK
03-07-2012, 08:26 AM
I sometimes do a cold meat salad for evening meal especially if the weather is warm. I usually do some new potatoes with it and sometimes some pasta salad / cous cous. I don't charge extra for meals so I will serve a balanced meal of my choice. Occasionally like the other week we had a family fun afternoon at school which I wanted to take all the children to but it meant I wouldn't have time for the children to eat a full meal and still get to the fun event so I sent a letter home telling parents that on that day all day EY children would get a hot lunch but that evening tea would be a snack that day rather than a full cooked meal. The children chose to have toasted sandwiches. No complaints from parents.

xxxx

EmmaReed84
03-07-2012, 08:31 AM
The problem I think, is people see salad as more of an "adult" thing to eat. I went to visit my sister and she put a lunch spread on for us all. There were sausage rolls, crusty rolls, ham, cheese and salad... if was kind of a buffet style and she thought the salady stuff the adults would eat and the sausage rolls the kids would eat...

... Well my son didn't didn't touch the sausage rolls and infact asked for 2nd helpings of the salad... much to my sisters and her partners surprise... DH and I however ate the sausage rolls and left the salad :blush:

hectors house
03-07-2012, 08:32 AM
Sounds good to me if you know kids will eat salad - how about half a tin of soup and bread first?

Parents just don't seem to realise how difficult it is to feed children when you have to fit in activities and have children coming and going at different times.

On a Wed I do a school pick up and get back about 3.45 pm, I have to get them sat up for tea by 4 pm (2 just have light snack - as parents turn up anywhen between 4 & 5), 1 baby goes about 4.20 pm (mum wants me to give him full tea - haven't managed it yet before she arrives) and one goes at 5 pm (and is very slow eater). I won't sit them up before 4 as need time to settle back in (school ones), wash hands etc.

Tealady
03-07-2012, 09:20 AM
Perfectly respectable dinner. Protein, carb & veg so a balanced meal. It is one meal out of the 21 the child will have in a week. If the weather was hotter perhaps she wouldn't have such an issue.

Sorry I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about parents being funny about what meals I supply :angry:

PixiePetal
03-07-2012, 09:25 AM
I agree with what someone else has said. Some parents like their child to have at least one hot meal a day, so if they've had sandwiches at lunchtime, they want them to have something cooked in the evening.

My husband is the same. He always says the children need a hot meal in the evening. I say they don't. As long as it's a well balanced meal, what difference does it make it if it's hot or cold?

If all the children are happy to eat salad, I don't see a problem with it. I would probably add some crusty bread and maybe half a boiled egg (delicious with ham), but only because my children are picky about salad :rolleyes:

Hot kids meals are usually cold by the time they finish anyway :rolleyes::laughing:

If all the food groups are in the meal then I see no difference:)

Helen79
03-07-2012, 01:12 PM
If all the food groups are in the meal then I see no difference

I suppose it's just what you're used to eating. One meal in the week isn't worth complaining about though I can see why the parent might have commented.
We have a cold lunch, sandwiches, salads etc and a hot dinner at 5pm. I wouldn't feel as thought I'd eaten properly in the day if I had 2 cold meals even if I had eaten all my food groups.
If I gave ds a salad for dinner he would think it was a starter and wonder where the rest of his dinner was :rolleyes:

When I was kid we had a hot meal at lunch time then a snack tea. When I visit my parents I find it difficult to adjust to having a filling hot meal during the day which then makes me feel sluggish in the afternoon and am starving after my sarnies in the evening.

Tatjana
03-07-2012, 01:31 PM
If it's a one off I can't see what the problem is and it's not like it's mid bleak winter so that a hot meal is essential.

janminder
03-07-2012, 01:54 PM
Well it is all prepared hopefully for quick dish up parent ok this morning. Some days it is so hard to do meals after school run with early pick ups when you are not straight indoors.

sarahstanbridge
04-07-2012, 01:14 PM
that sounds fine to me. i love a salad for tea. my lot wont eat it though so i give them some veg like peas or green beans instead of the salad xxx

Bridey
04-07-2012, 01:22 PM
and it's not like it's mid bleak winter

Blinkin' feels like it is! :laughing:

green puppy
04-07-2012, 01:25 PM
Well it is all prepared hopefully for quick dish up parent ok this morning. Some days it is so hard to do meals after school run with early pick ups when you are not straight indoors.

This is why I stopped doing teas and now do snack instead. Found everything a rush, prepared or not, and the children just wanted to play/relax etc... Half the time they were not ready for a full meal before 5pm and were happier with a snack. Ham salad is fine though whatever the weather!