To just not send in a packed lunch?

Just send a smaller sandwich, just 1 slice. And some fruit/yogurt.

We had a child at our school who would eat nothing but prepackaged mini cocktail sausages every single day.

His mum said he ate quite normally at home but he hated school lunches, sandwiches, rolls, even crisps. That’s what he ate so that’s what she sent. I know they aren’t the most healthy of food but as he got older he did try other things and would even have the Friday school dinner option when it was sausage and chips.

The point is that you keep sending food in, minus the crisps, he will settle and eat something one day. Even if it’s the most random thing like the sausages I mentioned as long as he’s then getting a balanced diet at home it’s fine. chances are once he establishes an eating pattern you can then change it to something more healthy. At least you know he’s having something at school.

Nobody likes wasting food especially these days but could you put something in that you know he’ll eat at home Later so it’s not wasted.

… and as for not having much time for yourself, maybe you didn’t realise that when you become a parent your time very much isn’t your own???

Laughing at people jumping on you like you’ve asked if it would be ok to never feed your child again 😂🤦‍♀️

I totally get your point in that it’s completely
wasteful, and annoying for you.
I guess all you can do is carry on as you are and with time maybe one day he will decide to eat
something different?
Crisps are still food (ok so it’s not as nutritious as a fruit platter before someone jumps down my throat) at least he’s eating something!

Were all just trying to make it out of parenting alive to be honest!

Crisps are totally unnecessary. Should be healthy things only - sandwich/pasta/wrap, fruit and veg. Try different options, and it doesn't matter if he doesn't eat it, just keep it for the next day.

Why could the cheese not be sent again? Cheese does not go off overnight. Indeed, sitting out overnight tends to improve it.

You can't not provide lunch! He's an active toddler who needs the nutrition.
He needs to be provided with food that he finds more exciting and tasty and nursery need to be aware that he is only eating a bag of crisps between 9-5.

Work together. I'd arrange a meeting with nursery and say that you are concerned about the lack of food he appears to be eating during nursery hours. Ask for help, more supervision, more feedback and engagement. You also need to do your part and make lunches that are healthy and calorie dense and back up educating your child about the importance of having lunch. Your health visitor can provide ideas or there is plenty of advice on NHS website, BBC food and on line resources.
Bin the crisps. Finger foods, pasta salads, wraps, mini cubes of cheese, ham, veg sticks, breadsticks, dips. Reward him eating lunch, let him choose an item of food or even better make it with you at the weekend and use it on a nursery day.

Sorry, but you really can't send him in without lunch. As suggested I'd try other substitutes, piece of cheese, ham pieces, pasta, pitta bread/wraps etc. May try veggie sticks, something like fromage frais if he'll eat something like that. Oh, and take the crisps out for a few days to see if he gives in and eats something else - even if he hardly eats whatever, at least he's got something.

RAISINS

Dentists all over the UK are very worried about raisins in packed lunches.

They are full of sugar and no better than eating sweets. They are one of the main culprits for tooth decay in young kids.

You have to send in lunch, even if they just eat the crisps. One day they'll start to eat it, which they obviously can't if you haven't provided it.

I wouldn't eat such a boring lunch either. So many other options

You seem to be missing the point. Eating at school as a group is about developing social skills.

The fact there is a lot going on (which you think distracts him) is a learning point. He has to be able to eat with other people.

Also the lunch box food sounds really boring. Find something more interesting and stop the crisps (I thought schools discouraged those now.)

You surely can't expect a child to be attentive and energised on no food from breakfast time till school pick-up?

You could also ask them not to give him the crisps until day the meat is gone ?

Well obviously don't send nothing but do make a packed lunch he likes.
Or....don't send crisps as he clearly eats them first.

Humours, carrot, pasta, cheese cubes....endless list of non-sandwich items

I can't believe you are asking this. Just vary things up and cut the crisps. I would suspect that school would be obliged to flag this if you stopped sending in any lunch. I have a picky child and yes it's galling to see the bashed about sandwich at the the end of the day but you should still do it. Even worse is when they find their lunch box after some time and it's like some alien life form has spawned...😱

My son sounds exactly the same. The excitement of school means he doesn’t want to sit and eat. He’s 3 nearly 4 and autistic. Have you asked the staff at preschool if someone would be available to sit with him for 5 mins to encourage him- maybe they could get another child he plays with to sit with him. Have you tried shaped cutters ? Stars or shapes anything he likes most of them I get off Amazon. My son doesn’t eat bread so he just has a couple slices of meat like ham with cut cucumbers and oh the dreadful crisps- sometimes you just can’t cut them out- don’t give yourself a hard time about it. I also wouldn’t suggest not not packing anything but definitely express your concerns with teachers most of them have great Tatics for scenarios like ours. Good luck x

Was about to suggest exactly this.

But you can't send him in with nothing, OP. He SHOULD be eating, so you need to find something he'll eat!

A lot of small kids don't enjoy sandwiches and find them hard to chew. He might be better with small wraps or sandwich thins with something soft such as jam or cheese spread on them. The fact you say he'll probably only eat the raisins today suggests that he goes for what's quick and easy to eat. Have you peeled the satsuma or are you expecting him to do that himself? I think you need to engage him with what's going in his lunchbox so he can pick some things he'd like and make it as easy as possible for him to eat - no tricky packets, fruit peeled and chopped up, sandwiches in small pieces etc.
I think you definitely need to ask school to keep an eye on what he's eating (or not) too.

You can't send him in with no lunch. Ridiculous.
The nursery will chase up on that.
You should stop sending crisps in.
Then you should try different things that he might like.
Also ask the nursery if they can please keep an eye on him and encourage him to eat.
And choose things which can be eaten in the afternoon (either by you or by DS) when he comes home rather than having to be chucked in the bin. So things that will keep well for a few hours without risking food poisoning.

Not sending lunch to school is ridiculous and deep down you know it.

If you don’t want waste, send them with what I would call boomerang food at the least.

individual packs of crackers
pot of grapes
fruit yo-yo
raisins
individual cheese blocks

These take no time to prep and can all be put back in the next day.

Cut the crap and speak to preschool about encouraging good eating habits. Ours used to have a helper that sat at each table to oversee what was happening, help open packets etc. Children were most certainly not allowed to get up and down and wander around.

You will find the staff follow up the fact your DS has no lunch because it is a major flag for parental neglect. Don't send crisps. Send something different everyday. What does it matter if sandwiches are wasted, he can eat them when he gets home, but he must be encouraged to sit down and eat. Keep at it.

OP my DD is 11 and still needs to be reminded to eat! Now she is in high school so they don't police the kids' lunch choices in the same way, but when she was younger I used to put in 2 bits of fruit and a wee pre-wrapped cake and pre-wrapped crackers along with a bit of cheese. All except the cheese could be sent again the next next day. Sometimes those crackers would go to school and back every day for a whole week! My DD eats a big dinner and that seems to do her.

Well, my first thought would be to stop including the crisps, then he cannot just eat those. I'd possibly not send the fruit either, and instead just send a wrap/sandwich/crackers with something he does like in it/with it? If anyone comments that it's not much then you can explain that he doesn't seem to eat much but what you have sent is something that is hopefully nutritious.
I'd avoid not sending anything!

My 4 year old won't eat a sandwich, never has, so we do things like pita breads, Wraps with a tomato sauce, cheese and pesto on so he thinks its pizza, crackers and picky bits.
Cucumber sticks, other cut up fruit like melon, suckie yogurts, just things I know he will eat or at least pick at.

Ds now 18 and a great varied eater all his life but just couldn't eat quickly in Primary. Usually sent crisps,a sandwich, biscuit and drink. I eventually changed the sandwich to crackers and cheese but some days that was all he had time to eat. You don't just STOP send your child's lunch in.

People who ask something or ask aibu but get arsey about people not giving the answer they want or being the they Abu
😴