School Lunch

[cassa333]

Hi there,

Just wondering about the provision of free school meals in infant schools.

Every infant school child is entitled to a free school meal it do they have to take that?

Are their parents allowed to say no to the free meals and send them in with their own packed lunch? Or is it entirely down to school policy?

[Buenchico]

From the Children's Food Trust website:

Q: Can children still bring in a packed lunch?

A: That’s up to every individual school to decide. We’d recommend having a healthy packed lunch policy for any children who are still bringing their own food . . .

http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/childrens-food-trust/schools/school-food-plan/uifsm/infant-fsm-faqs/

[cassa333]

Thanks Chris,

It says they can bring a packed lunch depending on school policy which seems to say if the school days no home packed lunches they have to have the school one.

Seems unfare if you have a very fussy eater. My nephew (luckily in juniors now) only eats specific things and they are not allowed to touch anything else on the plate. It took six months of sniffing a pea on the edge of his plate to get him to even look it full in the face lol

[bednobs]

then probably being forced to sit with plate of food in front of him not of his choosing, surrounded by his peers is a good idea?
I have a very fussy 4 year old. Before i was a parent, i would have said, if they won't eat what you gve them, they go hungry. However when you are faced with a child crying because they don't like what you give them but are hungry, it's not quite so black and white. She is going to school in sept, and i will not be sending her with a pack-up in the hope the school can be the strong arm bit for me, as i am such a terrible wuss when it comes to her happiness :)

[cassa333]

Unfortunately my nephew has some ism. I can't think what it is but it is something to do with sensory input.

I am a lunch time leader and we see fussy eaters all the time and we do end up being the bad guy.

The amount of kids who tell me they don't like what is in Their home lunch box is unbelievable. I just say well mummy, daddy or someone at home put it I thier for you so they want you to eat it.

Another good way I have found to get them to eat a bit more is to say that food keeps their body going and drink helps their brain work so they need both for a good afternoon.

Yr F tears and tantrums
Yr 1 resentment and a try on.
Yr 2 reigned to it but still try or they have cottoned onto saying someone else made it.

Lol

THE most frustrating thing about home lunch boxes is that, although we don't know what they eat at home so my be having really good nutritional values there, but baring in mind we are supposedly a healthy eating school, how can a chocolate spread sandwich, chocolate cake, chocolate penguin bar and a twin be a healthy lunch?

Oh and how come fruit gums are now fruit?

HELLO... Just because the packet says fruit flavour doesn't mean it is fruit.


Sorry, rant over..... For now .

[Old_Geezer]

"then probably being forced to sit with plate of food in front of him not of his choosing, surrounded by his peers is a good idea?"

Back in primary school it never convinced me to say that the emperor was wearing wonderful robes, er ... I mean to pretend that salad was food fit for humans. The evil dinner ladies would insist you ate it so it went into pockets or under the table onto the floor. They were known to cruelly force me to miss playtime during the lunch break as they bullied me into staying at the table, but I knew the truth and it never got eaten. In any case I can't see why they wanted me to throw up all over the table. They would have had to clear it off.

IMO the school has a responsibility to ensure the child looks like they are getting sufficient nutrition, but there should be a limit on how much they should interfere in what the are given for lunch. Lunch isn't everyone's main meal. There's a balance to be made at some point.