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Minstrel
14-07-2009, 02:54 PM
I received a letter from my son's school yesterday (he's in reception) stating that as of September they are asking all children to take up a school dinner option.

They have stated that storing packed luches is no longer a healthy option and acknowledge there is a financial cost to consider. They will assist in helping those who are eligable (sp?) for free school meals to apply.

There is a sandwich option and this consists of
Ham, Tuna or Cheese sandwich
HALF a piece of fruit
Vegetable sticks
Homemade biscuit or slice
Water

The hot meal option is good but with 2 choices, what do you do if your child likes neither.

I am not entitled to free dinners and at £2.25 per day times two children (shortly) this has made me and all the other parents I have spoken to really cross.

Do you think we have a case to refuse and can the school do this?
Whats our next step if school doesn't back down?

chewy sweets
14-07-2009, 03:04 PM
Never heard of anything so stupid! Children have been taking packed lunches to school for decades and all of a sudden they are no longer healthy/ safe??
This school sounds as if they just want to milk the parents for every penny they've got.
I'd Appleal against it and if you know plenty of other parents who disagree with it too get them to back you!
See how you get on:thumbsup:

Mouse
14-07-2009, 03:05 PM
I would have thought school would struggle to enforce that. I certainly wouldn't pay for school meals. The menu always sounds lovely - the reality is something different! My daughter tried school dinners for a while, but rarely had the choice that was supposed to be on offer as there was very little left by the time she got to have her dinner. Also the portions were very small, even for DD with a tiny appetite.

Until this year I have had 5 children at school or 6th form. They all take packed lunches. I could not have afforded school dinners for 5 of them! There will be many people who cannot afford school dinners and will not be able to claim free meals.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

Mouse
14-07-2009, 03:07 PM
Don't school get some sort of allowance based on the number of children having free school meals? Perhaps that's the idea behind it. Maybe they think that if they say you have to have school meals, more parents will apply for free ones.

gigglinggoblin
14-07-2009, 03:08 PM
I would be hopping mad and would put it in writing to the head by tomorrow and request a reply by the end of term or put in a complaint to the LEA. Utterly wrong for so many reasons.

peanuts
14-07-2009, 03:10 PM
we have the packed lunch option of what is there but as the dinners are brought into the school from another school its pot luck on whats left even if you have ordered something else first thing in the morning. packed lunch is even worse option especially if they are near last to go for dinners as i said again pot luck. ive also been very cross when i have ordered dinners for dd and they had ran out of what she had ordered, the order is placed at 9.30 to the caterers every morning. that day she didnt get anything to eat.

tinkerbelle
14-07-2009, 03:11 PM
as the letter states they are asking then your well within your rights to refuse i have 3 children all school age and it would cost me almost £40 for school dinners per week as we do not get benefits etc the price of packed lunches is no where near this amount so i would refuse if our school bought this ridiculous measure in

youarewhatyoueat
14-07-2009, 03:14 PM
£2.25 is a bit steep, I couldn't afford that for 2 children. I would write to the governers at the school and ask them to justify the decision. They must have known they were going to do this and have left it late to tell you so you haven't got a chance to argue. I bet that they have a few children that take rubbish in their pack lunches and this has spoilt it for everyone. I suggest that they have a seperate table set aside for children bring lunches from home. I would also check with shire hall to see how your county views the decision or whether it is just your school. Flipping cheek tho!!!

Minstrel
14-07-2009, 03:15 PM
we have the packed lunch option of what is there but as the dinners are brought into the school from another school its pot luck on whats left even if you have ordered something else first thing in the morning. packed lunch is even worse option especially if they are near last to go for dinners as i said again pot luck. ive also been very cross when i have ordered dinners for dd and they had ran out of what she had ordered, the order is placed at 9.30 to the caterers every morning. that day she didnt get anything to eat.

This is another issue. The school doesn't even cook the hot dinners there because they don't have a big enough kitchen. They are cooked at the other primary a mile away along theres, and they have to order it first thing.

Brings me back to xmas when J ordered veggie xmas dinner. They ran out so gave him meat option because he wasn't a vegetarian.
He ordered it because he's not a big meat eater and loves stuffed peppers instead.

FizzysFriends
14-07-2009, 03:20 PM
I know a school that has no option but to take their hot dinners but its private and lunch is added onto termly fees.

There is issue at DD's school that they have occassionally run out of food so cooked chips for them, DD doesn't like chips she there was nothing she would eat which IMO is wrong, I paid for a 2 course dinner and thats what I expect her to get.

Pipsqueak
14-07-2009, 03:24 PM
I'd be telling them that he will still be bringing a packed lunch made by you OR you will be collecting him at lunch time to bring him home for lunch.

I

Mollymop
14-07-2009, 03:24 PM
NO!! I am really shocked! I would think of taking my child out of school for lunch if this was the case at any of my schools.

We are charged £1.80 for school meals, so i think £2.20 a day is quite expensive.

Our schools are always sending letters home advertsing school lunches, asking packed lunch parents to consider their children having hot dinners. Even if you are elligable for free school meals, they ask you to sign up so that it "helps" the school.

It is all about money and their school status.

They seem to be using the excuse of storing packed lunches as a way of getting parents to sign up for school dinners, it is not right and not a very good excuse seeing as though most schools have been storing packed lunches for years and years without any problems.

rickysmiths
14-07-2009, 03:26 PM
You always have the option to take them home for lunch.

Something that often used to happen in my day and the children would walk home and back on their own.

I believe this is still allowed with written parental permission. Mybe you and a few other mums could start a 'proper' lunch club.

Daftbat
14-07-2009, 03:26 PM
The school cannot enforce this. You should still take your packed lunches and if the school really feels that storage is a problem then they can ask for a signed permission which relived them of responsibility for ensuring the safe storage of these meals.

Contact your Chair of |Governors if you have no luck with the Head directly. I would get two or three parents to ask for a meeting with the head to put across your views.

FizzysFriends
14-07-2009, 03:28 PM
And, who is acutally elligable for school meals? When I was really broke (ex took everything and more) income was £75 p/w and mortgage was £600 they said I wasn't elligable.

wendywu
14-07-2009, 03:46 PM
Speak to your local MP. I would also write to school stating that you cannot afford the school meals and just what do they suggest you do. I would also ask why they feel they are unable to do what the other local schools do with no problem. Also get in touch with your Citizens Advice.

Ask them if they provide kosher food, that should stump them:laughing:

Minstrel
14-07-2009, 04:02 PM
I realise that not all parents provide healthy lunches but they should tackle those directly. I believe my lunches are healthier and better proportioned for my son. As for the storage, I took their advice of a insulated bag and ice blocks.

I hope not to bring him home. It wouldn't really work for us. My other goes to nursery at this time in the opposite direction and at 5 he's too young to walk it himself.

Hebs
14-07-2009, 04:04 PM
How can they justify £2.25 for a school meal, mcdonalds is cheaper! So where is the incentive in that?

I would send him in with a packed lunch as usual!

singlewiththree
14-07-2009, 04:14 PM
Our school have started offering packed lunches at school instead of a school dinner for the same price as the school dinner!

The only time I got free school meals was when I was on income support for a whole 6wks. I claimed the health start vouchers too getting free milk. When I moved onto tax credits but still skint then I had to pay for it all myself even though I wasn't earning much more than when I was on IS.

Tired
14-07-2009, 04:15 PM
How stupid, what a silly rule.

thats all i have to say really.

PixiePetal
14-07-2009, 04:26 PM
The size of that packed lunch you quoted my DS would have starved. School dinners didn't get much bigger as he moved up the school and he was always hungry.

His lunch bag at primary school in the juniors consisted of -

sandwich, cheese, crisps/cheddars, 2 pieces of fruit, from frais, cereal bar and maybe another treat to have on the way home (but normally eaten as he was hungry) sometimes 3 slices of bread for his sandwiches

He could polish off 8 fish fingers at a meal - school he got 3.

He is a tall and energetic lad, just not enough food for him.

I would have paid the price if he had a decent meal. khaki broccoli is not his or my idea of appetising even if it has been steamed not boiled!

Chimps Childminding
14-07-2009, 05:13 PM
I had 4 children at school at the same time, and there is no way I would have paid for school dinners (cooked or otherwise), I simply couldn't afford it!
I don't see how they can enforce it, but as others have said, either say your child will come home for lunch, or you will arrive at lunch time with their lunch box so the school don't have the problem of storing it, just dozens of parents arriving at lunch time :laughing: :laughing:

seriously, hope you manage to sort things out! :thumbsup:

Minstrel
14-07-2009, 05:15 PM
you will arrive at lunch time with their lunch box so the school don't have the problem of storing it, just dozens of parents arriving at lunch time :laughing: :laughing:

seriously, hope you manage to sort things out! :thumbsup:

Now there's an idea!!

Chell
14-07-2009, 05:34 PM
I had 4 children at school at the same time, and there is no way I would have paid for school dinners (cooked or otherwise), I simply couldn't afford it!

WSS, I've three children so that would be £6.75 per day for lunches, £33.75 a week, well over £100 a month. :eek: My son hardly eats at school as he chats to much and is in a rush to play. I'd be throwing money away. His packed lunch costs very little to prepare.

Tatjana
14-07-2009, 06:06 PM
It's appalling that they are trying to enforce this. :eek: Why is there suddenly a problem with storing the palced lunches that wasn't a problem before?

Why only half a piece of fruit and whose 'home' have these biscuits been baked in? lol!

You tell them you will continue sending packed lunch as this is what you want to do for your child.

xx

kindredspirits
14-07-2009, 06:14 PM
i agree - i would say that i cannot afford to pay for school meals (even if i could) so either you send a lunch box or they allow your child to starve - which we all know is - all together now - 'against the welfare standards' :rolleyes: i think they are being absolutely ridiculous. my ds seems to have an intolerance to any preservatives they make him hyper, so would they rather deal with an uncontrollable child or store his home-made lunch!!?! ;)

RachelE
14-07-2009, 07:25 PM
Absolutely ridiculous! :mad:

Our school charges £2.25 a day for a hot meal.
My ds takes sandwiches, f,frais and a piece of fruit. He is a fab eater - but even more of a talker and doesnt always eat even that!

Our school has 'themed' days - American Independance/St.Georges day/Easter Meal - all of which you can order as a one off. I have let my son have a couple fo these, but he said that the quality was rubbish and he hardly got anything.

Please let us know where you get with this one as I cannot think that they can enforce this . Parents should make their own choices for their children.

Good luck :thumbsup:

Helen79
14-07-2009, 07:28 PM
dd will be having packed lunches even though I hate making them but I just can't afford school dinners.

Most of her lunch comes back from nursery squashed up in her lunch box as she's too busy talking so I'm not wasting money on food that I know she won't eat.

Hope you get it sorted with the school

jeanybeany
14-07-2009, 07:33 PM
I cannot believe they are trying to enforce this. I certainly could not afford to pay for school dinners for my 3 children. I would send a packed lunch still. Also see if you can find some info on the web about storing packed lunches especially in school, so that you have something to go to the head with perhaps, i.e. if you are doing what the guidelines are for schools, then I can't see what the problem is!

Good luck with it :D

Hebs
14-07-2009, 07:37 PM
if they say it's cos they can't keep food cold tell them you put freezer blocks in the bag, morrisons sell the mini lunch bag ones as a 2 pack :thumbsup: keep food nice and chilled til lunch time :thumbsup:

as for "storage" hang them on their coat pegs :D

Blaze
14-07-2009, 08:02 PM
Absolutely ridiculous!!!:eek:

Now my eldest dd has school dinners @ £1.90 per day during the winter (so she has a hot meal)...but spring & summer takes a packed lunch...Not sure what I will be doing re ds in Sept, as he's ALWAYS hungry...so he's likely to have packed lunches all year LOL

I have to add that all the food is cooked on sight & is of a pretty high standard...I wouldn't mind going for lunch LOL ( & the dinner ladies are fab)...but in the majority of cases I agree with Twinkles...overall not impressed with quality!

Twinkles
14-07-2009, 09:14 PM
Even if you can afford it the quality of the food on offer is very poor. One of the children I mind loves her veg and will eat virtually everything offered has just gone on to packed lunches as she couldn't bear the ' soggy vegetables'.
A lot of schools don't have adequate kitchen facilities and the food is cooked elsewhere.
If you consider a meal will probably cooked by about 10 o'clock in the morning , cooled and then reheated at the school , how many vitamins are left at that point?

Lou
14-07-2009, 09:23 PM
Even if you can afford it the quality of the food on offer is very poor. One of the children I mind loves her veg and will eat virtually everything offered has just gone on to packed lunches as she couldn't bear the ' soggy vegetables'.
A lot of schools don't have adequate kitchen facilities and the food is cooked elsewhere.
If you consider a meal will probably cooked by about 10 o'clock in the morning , cooled and then reheated at the school , how many vitamins are left at that point?

Totally agree.

I couldnt afford to pay for 2 children to have school dinners (nor do i particularly want to!!) so i would just have to keep sending packed lunches. I could not take my children home for lunch as i work full time as do a lot of parents so i cant understand why they are doing this!!!

Deb
14-07-2009, 10:17 PM
Lord, that sounds daft; cant see how they would enforce that tbh.

The Juggler
15-07-2009, 07:08 AM
I agree with all the above - I have two children and my oldest would only eat potatotoes probably. He hates pasta, mincemeat, most veggies!

Do you think the school would consider splashing out on a couple of big fridges to store the lunches that's a better option surely!

Rubybubbles
15-07-2009, 09:17 AM
rubbish


you def need to write your views on this! I would (as I can) collect my children and have home lunch

As for the amount of food in the 'lunch box stlye' my dd is 4 and has sandwich, yougurt, 2 pieces fruit, large drink, cereal bar and on a friday mini chocolate bar:p

as for what my 7yr eats:eek:

£2.25 my :censored:

Hebs
15-07-2009, 09:22 AM
my daughters school meals are £3 per day but they are lovely meals are more like a cafe than a school dinner so i don't mind, plus shes eating better even eats better than me :laughing: they consist of starter ie soup, main meal like jacket pots or curry, hot meals etc then desert and drink :thumbsup:

i refuse to pay for the meals provided at my sons school

donnagwynne
15-07-2009, 01:42 PM
I think that this is awful too and I would be up in arms about it.

I also think that it is just the thing that the local press might be interested in. You could try your local paper and see if they are interested. School lunches have been quite newsworthy because of Jamie Oliver and the new school meal regulations that are coming in September.

And anything to do with parents being dicatated too or being denied freedom of choice.

this sort of coverage might force the school to change their mind.

Donna

CCJD
15-07-2009, 02:00 PM
This is unbelievable - especially at a price where the meal is making somebody a profit!!!

If the meals were being provided , at true cost, and would therefore probably cost about 20p at our school they are so poor in quality, then I think the school can ask for all school dinners. But to insist that you purchase a school dinner, at a very marked up price, giving some local compnay and nice fat profit, is an absolute disgrace.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KEEP US UP TO DATE ON THIS ONE as I am sure yours will not be the only school to try this on. Some schools will do anything just to earn themselves a silly badge that says they are a "healthy school"!!!!!!

Ours has banned crisps due to the fat content - but refuse to comment on the fat content of the macaroni cheese or sticky chocolate pudding offerred in the school dinners menu. I have no problem in schools offering education on healthy eating but I do mind being dictated to in an illogical way, simply to gain a certificate (and I dont even give my children crisps in their lunch boxes!!)

If our school offered Jamie Oliver style school lunches- for cost price - I am sure I wouldnt be the only mum jumping at them.

Minstrel
15-07-2009, 02:54 PM
Well I called the LEA today and they are going to call me back to tell me whether the head is 'allowed' to do this.

I tried telling them that she can't because a) last time i checked it wasn't against the law to not give your child a school provided meal, and b) legislation by OFSTED that 'Every child matters' and every child is treated as a individual is not being adhered to if she follows through with this.

Also how is she going to physically enforce it if I send him with a packed lunch every day and no money, not let him eat? Dont think so!

I'm getting crosser!!!!! :angry:

sweets
15-07-2009, 02:58 PM
good for you. Have you sounded out other parents for support? i'm sure you won't be the only one against it.

The Juggler
15-07-2009, 03:03 PM
This is unbelievable - especially at a price where the meal is making somebody a profit!!!

Ours has banned crisps due to the fat content - but refuse to comment on the fat content of the macaroni cheese or sticky chocolate pudding offerred in the school dinners menu. I have no problem in schools offering education on healthy eating but I do mind being dictated to in an illogical way, simply to gain a certificate (and I dont even give my children crisps in their lunch boxes!!)

.


I'm with you on that! Ours are not allowed cake or chocolate but everyday they offer sticky, custardy puddings or biscuits! Bit unfair reallly.

FizzysFriends
15-07-2009, 03:05 PM
Well I called the LEA today and they are going to call me back to tell me whether the head is 'allowed' to do this.

I tried telling them that she can't because a) last time i checked it wasn't against the law to not give your child a school provided meal, and b) legislation by OFSTED that 'Every child matters' and every child is treated as a individual is not being adhered to if she follows through with this.

Also how is she going to physically enforce it if I send him with a packed lunch every day and no money, not let him eat? Dont think so!
I'm getting crosser!!!!! :angry:

I had a letter from DD's school (because I forgot to send my chq for the week on the monday) saying if I do it again they will make DD go without food on the Monday :angry:

wendywu
15-07-2009, 03:15 PM
How can they possibly cope with all the different needs of religion and allergies that would arise if they insist on feeding the whole school. :eek:

Minstrel
15-07-2009, 03:17 PM
I had a letter from DD's school (because I forgot to send my chq for the week on the monday) saying if I do it again they will make DD go without food on the Monday :angry:

I'm pretty sure that's just to scare you into paying. If i sent him with a lunch and they refused to let him eat it, or give your daughter food and drink, then they are denying them their basic human rights.

Bananabrain
15-07-2009, 06:11 PM
I would have thought school would struggle to enforce that. I certainly wouldn't pay for school meals. The menu always sounds lovely - the reality is something different! My daughter tried school dinners for a while, but rarely had the choice that was supposed to be on offer as there was very little left by the time she got to have her dinner. Also the portions were very small, even for DD with a tiny appetite.

Until this year I have had 5 children at school or 6th form. They all take packed lunches. I could not have afforded school dinners for 5 of them! There will be many people who cannot afford school dinners and will not be able to claim free meals.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

You are absolutely right Mouse,the menu always looks fab,but the reality is soooo different.

I know,because I briefly worked as a dinner lady.

I would not stand for this!!! My son would have school meals over my dead body!!!!

This is something I feel very strongly about.............Can you tell?:laughing:

PixiePetal
15-07-2009, 06:16 PM
if they say it's cos they can't keep food cold tell them you put freezer blocks in the bag, morrisons sell the mini lunch bag ones as a 2 pack :thumbsup: keep food nice and chilled til lunch time :thumbsup:

as for "storage" hang them on their coat pegs :D


DS takes 'choobs' fromage frais frozen, nicely defrosted by lunchtime but still cool and keeps other stuff cooler too :thumbsup:

Hebs
15-07-2009, 06:18 PM
DS takes 'choobs' fromage frais frozen, nicely defrosted by lunchtime but still cool and keeps other stuff cooler too :thumbsup:

yeah exactly so there is ways of keeping the lunches cold without needing a fridge :thumbsup:

Minstrel
15-07-2009, 06:22 PM
yeah exactly so there is ways of keeping the lunches cold without needing a fridge :thumbsup:

Excatly! To be honest I don't really know the angle their trying to get at but I'm not participating!

LOOPYLISA
15-07-2009, 07:40 PM
My dd's school does not provide school dinners, not that she would have them anyway !!

I make her pack lunch the night before and she says its still cold by lunchtime :thumbsup:

Jaffa
13-03-2012, 07:22 AM
Due to my children getting free school meals that i hence: are not very exciting at time, unlike the nice hot cooked meals i had when growing up. They don't have packed lunch. And to my knowledge it is only supplied on school trips. But I am unaware that you cant take them in any more and its school meals only. This in my eyes is against the law as it is taking away the rights of the child choice to eat a meal they enjoy.
Both of my children are in separate schools and we have had many issues with these schools many of times regarding lack of homework and the lack of information to forward my children's education and bulling these have been brought up and pushed aside, hoping I would never mention the topic again but unlucky for them I will keep on when there is just a meeting with them or weather there is meeting while one of the aids are present, that I find helps as they cant ignore what I have said as it is put on the aids report.
My youngest 7yrs is in year 3, has had a lot of problems at school with bullying in and out of school and this has been reported many times and all we get is ok we will have a word, but it still happens and we still keep on, so at this point we now sound like fussy parent yea??? because we refuse to be within the in crowd that work there. Then the point came when my 7yrs was playing football inschool and the school bully slammed the ball at him and ended up breaking his arm, he was in plaster for a good 4-6 week and no sooner that happened he gets hit in the face with a hard football completely breaking his new glasses..yes same school bully..Yes there allowing children to play with proper hard balls and not foam balls...My other son who is partly deaf in both ears was forced to move to another school because his first school couldn't cope, This was a better idea because he is now happy and gets a lot of privileges like free or very cheat trips but we have started seeing changes from the nicely nicely lot we had when he first joined the school to very sly that can only contact you by letter.we recently had these letters about kids not being able to bring in squash' crisps or chocolate. My kids take a child flask of squash to drink during there play time and sometimes a cake or biscuits etc.....So why cant we give or children these things when it is OK for the school to do so. Both my children got told off for having a drink and cake for there playtime snack as the schools have stopped doing school tucks, no half a apple in the afternoon or a school tuck shop. A parent from another school was told off for taking in one of them mixed fruit packs for there child's break and was told not to do it again....so they confronted the school and asked why.....The schools excuse was....because some parents cant afford to get there kids the same so it would be unfair as that child has a selection of fruit...They cost between £1 -£2 each in Tesco's...If that's not being picky I don't know what is. so I am now at the stage of questioning them on these topics in my next meeting and I will be asking to record the conversation for my investigation's in to these issues and also if they now refuse and try make times harder i will be taking legal action if not due to how we are being treated by the lack of service then I know for a fact there would be one for the lack of safety within the school yard. And a part of Favoritism plays big part in the school running....

singingcactus
13-03-2012, 09:39 AM
All my kids have school meals, because I don't feel the school can store pack-ups safely. On their pegs anyone has access to them and food items go walkabout, ice blocks get lost, boxes get opened and go warm etc.

I'd love it though if I only had to pay £2.25 a meal for each of them, that's a lovely cheap price. I certainly couldn't make a healthy pack -up for that low cost, and my 2 eldest have the cheapest option at £3.00.

If your school goes ahead with it, then like when I was growing up, parents who did not want their child to have the school meal will need to collect their child, feed them and return them to school. The school does not have to provide eating facilities for children to have a packed lunch when the school has it in their policies to be a meal only setting.

It's really not that big a deal, just going back to how it used to be.

Blaze
13-03-2012, 09:51 AM
Our local schools are £2.20 per meal now & in Sept it'll be £2.40 ...it goes up 20p every September! My eldest at Secondary School is even worse - It costs £4 to have a meal in the canteen (drink included in that price).

peanuts
13-03-2012, 10:00 AM
school is just trying to get you to pay for school meals, you could have healthy packed lunches for a fraction of the 12.25 for one child a week.

watgem
13-03-2012, 10:26 AM
thats awful whatever happened to choice! I know schools get extra funding if children are on free school meals but in reality how many are actually entitled? Even if you recieve the full wack of working tax credits entitling you to free prescriptions etc you cannot claim for free school meals, subsidised trips or help with uniforms! What is wrong with the existing system of children taking lunchboxes, having cooked dinners or going home to lunch, its been in existence since I started school in the 70's lol. I know my school used to make us buy lunchtime drinks from them and if we put our own drinks in the lunchbox they would remove it, however the new Head stopped this because it cost parents a fortune and was discriminatory, and I feel that your schools policy is as well, would it be worth talking to Ofsted about it?

jane5
13-03-2012, 10:48 AM
My dd couldn't have school dinners as she has allergies to gluten, wheat, milk and soya. Her only option is a packed lunch that I would provide.
It wouldn't be practical for me to collect her from school everyday for lunch because of the other lo's I have.
I think it is wrong for a school to not allow packed lunches.

FussyElmo
13-03-2012, 11:04 AM
Gosh this is an old thread - did wonder how I had missed reading it recently :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Chimps Childminding
13-03-2012, 12:31 PM
Gosh this is an old thread - did wonder how I had missed reading it recently :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Me too!! I have to admit though there was no way I could have afforded school dinners for my 4 sons! They used to have the Christmas dinner but that was all!!

As for parents not packing healthy lunch boxes, most parents will put in a lunch box what they know their child will eat - no point making it full of healthy stuff if they leave it all :rolleyes: (please don't all shoot me down in flames - but my son was really fussy when he was little and anything remotely healthy he avoided like the plague :angry:)

nikki thomson
13-03-2012, 01:43 PM
My ds and dd school don't offer a school dinner either hot or cold so they have to take a lunch box but it wouldn't make any difference if they did from sep I'll have 3 children at the school and I just could not afford £200 for a 6 week half term, i'd have to bring them home for lunch every day. X

mamma_mia
13-03-2012, 04:30 PM
if our school insisted on this id be deliberatly awkward n buy him a chipy from across road every day :laughing: not healthy but if he smeared it with garlic im sure teacher would be happy :laughing:

PixiePetal
13-03-2012, 05:15 PM
I noticed this was an old thread and replied at the time. Wonder if schools are still saying no to packed lunches?

My DS would have starved on that measly cold option! Prices have gone up too :rolleyes:

Jaffa
13-03-2012, 08:58 PM
Well i had an appointment at 4pm today in regrds to my older childs work etc
This gave me the option to question the teacher on why they have all of a sudden decided that taking in squash to school is not allowed.
I was hopping that she would say that it was about health and hygiene purposes so i could bring up the next question but this was not to be. The teachers reply to my question is as follows

(Q) Why are the children not allowed to bring in squash for there playtime breaks.
(A) Because we are an eco friendly school and we see squash as unhealthy! and advice water as a Substitute. This is not my rules these have been put out by so and so!

(someone who I can only imagine being the head mistress who is new and iv'e never met.)

I reply as followed, The squash I use has no added sugar and always have been' this is made up with a small amount of squash and the rest is water is this not seen as being healthy! as squash is simply a flavouring and very little is used to make the taste interesting.

The teacher replied: These are not my rules but i will bring them up with so and so

I made it clear that my child will be bringing in squash on a daily basis and if there is a problem that they have my number and can contact me or arrange a meeting that the problems about snacks and drink can be discussed and they can be given the reasons to what there trying to achieve.

I also mentioned about the issues of cakes or biscuits being taken in as snacks. I had no reasons or excuses and was told that it will be brought up in there next meeting or with the person who set the rules.

I made it clear not just myself was unhappy with how they have approached this issue many others are unhappy and there causing a lot of tension between the parents and school and there upsetting a lot of parents and children in the Process. There is a way to advice parents of what your needs are and putting it on paper that gets given out at the end of the day is not the right way of doing it. It does not explain why you want these rules brought forward and people are not asked there rules that has been made up and changed and and parents are demanded to follow them without a choice or say. this is poor practice and is not the way to go.

So as of now I am looking forward to a call or another meeting that will solely be aimed at what this is all about. When i get more clear answers be sure I will let you all know what the comebacks are. Because i had the impression that not even the teacher new the reasons why.
Oh and the reasons why I was hoping she would have said health and hygiene is that they have a water tower there that the kids can get a drink from...there was two plastic cups on top of the machine not once while I was there was the cups washed after each use. Not one disposable cup insight.