AIBU to refuse FSM

[Halloweenrainbow]

For context were in Scotland where all P1-P3 get FSM which I think is fab...BUT...I come from a long line of overweight people. My whole family, including me, struggle with weight. I want to break the cycle for my own kids. So far my strategy seems to be working, small, light healthy meals and snacks and I have two healthy, normal weight children and I'm losing weight also. Eldest will start school in Autumn. I have seen the menu and it seems OK and obviously aims to be healthy offering baked potato, lasagna, wedges etc. This is just fab for kids who don't get a hot meal at home, however, mine do, and I'm concerned that it will all be too much. A full hot meal with pudding at every meal seems a lot. I want to get them in the habit if eating light and feel a packed lunch would be easier to manage this (they offer cold/sandwich options but my two will choose the hot stuff if they see it & see others with it). I'd like there 'big' meal to be at home, homecooked around the table with the family. Does this make any sense to anyone? How do you manage school lunches? Am I over thinking it?

[dementedpixie]

The portions are small at school. Dont think my kids ever took the pudding and had a biscuit instead. There are also sandwich and lighter options than the full meal. Or send with a packed lunch some days. At our school you could mix and match and take a packed lunch some days and have a school meal other days.

[dementedpixie]

And on a school meal.day you can always give a smaller portion at dinner time

[Wetcappuccino]

Our DD quite often chooses a cheese sandwich instead of the hot option on the FSM and they don’t always offer pudding. So sometimes it is a fairly light lunch. I just ask what she has had for lunch when I pick her up and if she has had a hot meal (e.g. mince and potatoes/ mac and cheese) at lunchtime then I will adjust what she has for dinner accordingly.

[Theunamedcat]

Jacket potato is usually only half a potato seriously school portions are tiny

[MargosKaftan]

The portions are small at primary school.

I found theres a benefit for them all sitting and eating together, mine would then try new foods, which was hard work at home to get them to do, but if everyone else was eating green beans, they'd try them and decided they were nice.

As its free, most children do take them.

Theres a lot to be said for not having to make a packed lunch every day as well !

[Okki]

I'm a dinner lady, in England though. Honestly as everyone says the portions aren't big. It's only usually the really hungry children who eat everything. Our school allows the children to have dinners when they want or bring a packed lunch. The menu is published in advance. On a Friday for example it's fish. Fish fingers/ fish cake. Two fish finger, scoop of mashed potato and 2 veg - a spoon of each and then a biscuit or yoghurt or sugar free jelly. Very occasionally cake and custard. They then go and run around for at least half an hour. My DC's take a packed lunch every day as they've decided they don't like school dinners.

[MargosKaftan]

I was thinking about this again. Theres a view that cold meals are some how "healthier" (read "lower calorie") than hot. This is obviously nonsense. Its perfectly ok for a child to have a hot meal at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that to not constitute over eating.

The portions at primary lunch are about the right number of calories for their lunch.

Do not underestimate how annoying it is to always have to make packed lunches and have to clean out lunch boxes each evening!