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How many lunch options does your child's primary school offer for lunch?

108 replies

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 14:49

Ours is a two week rolling menu with a different main meal every day. Jacket potatoes available everyday for those who don't want the main meal.

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Didimum · 12/09/2024 15:19

2 week rolling menu. One hot meal option daily + salad bar for KS1. And then KS2 have the additional option of a cold lunch (rolls and sandwiches of various fillings).

PaintMeARiver · 12/09/2024 15:19

Three week rotating menu. Excluding allergies etc it's like it or lump it!

Sunshineandpool · 12/09/2024 15:18

At my DD's Primary there was a meat/fish option, a vegetarian option, a 3rd option that was either meat/fish or vegetarian and jacket potatoes available every day with various fillings. There was veg with the meals plus a salad bar. A dessert, drink and fruit available. It was ok but most of the food was quite processed and cheap. I wouldn't have been happy for DD to eat it everyday so wouldn't be happy with no packed lunch as an option.

However, it pales into insignificance with the rubbish available at Secondary. DD mainly has cakes for her lunch with a fizzy drink on the side!

MrsMariaReynolds · 12/09/2024 15:18

Five options--main hot dinner, veggie main, jacket potato, pasta with or without sauce, or school packed lunch

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:17

RuggedHairyTortoise · 12/09/2024 15:13

I should add though that we pay for school dinners (independent school) and the costs are circa £4 a day at primary level. I've had reason to eat at the school dining hall on occasion when I have meetings at the school and the quality is very good IMO.

Ours is also an independent.

Everything cooked on site from scratch.

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Cobblersorchard · 12/09/2024 15:15

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:14

You have to book the food?

I suppose that decreases waste.

We don't have that system to adding more options increases the risk of waste.

Great menu though!

Yes we have to book it on an app, you can book it ahead for the term or just per week. All cooked onsite, small school (about 68 kids 4-11).
£2.50 for those that pay (free for mine as in Reception).

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:14

Cobblersorchard · 12/09/2024 15:13

Meat Main
Veggie Main
Jacket potato with filling options
Salad box with options
Packed lunch with options
Soup with options

3 week rolling menu

See photos - this is one day

You have to book the food?

I suppose that decreases waste.

We don't have that system to adding more options increases the risk of waste.

Great menu though!

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RuggedHairyTortoise · 12/09/2024 15:13

I should add though that we pay for school dinners (independent school) and the costs are circa £4 a day at primary level. I've had reason to eat at the school dining hall on occasion when I have meetings at the school and the quality is very good IMO.

Cobblersorchard · 12/09/2024 15:13

Meat Main
Veggie Main
Jacket potato with filling options
Salad box with options
Packed lunch with options
Soup with options

3 week rolling menu

See photos - this is one day

How many lunch options does your child's primary school offer for lunch?
How many lunch options does your child's primary school offer for lunch?
belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:12

GoingUpUpUp · 12/09/2024 15:10

4 week rotating menu with a roast on a Wednesday and fish fingers on a Friday each week.

Meat option, veggie option, hot tomato pasta, jacket potato or sandwich are offered everyday.

It’s very good I think.

Again, lots of choice!

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RuggedHairyTortoise · 12/09/2024 15:11

Mine are in secondary school but our school puts all the menus online and I actually frequently follow the primary school menu for our own dinners because they are simple, no-nonsense and my very fussy 14 year old likes them

3 week rolling menu. Every single day has a jacket potato and salad bar option. Rotating puddings between homemade mousses, homemade jellies and fresh fruit and custard

Monday- (1) Pasta of some sort with a vegetarian option. Mousse pudding (2) Chicken in bbq sauce or vegetable dippers with bbq sauce and mixed vegetables (3) Bangers and mash and vegetables.

Tuesday - Vegetarian pizza, wedges and sweetcorn (2) - macaroni cheese or macaroni and creamy tomato sauce with broccoli and sweetcorn (3) Vegetable bolognaise or vegetable risotto

Wed - (1) - creamy chicken or veg curry with rice and naan (2) - cottage pie with vegetables (3) ham and chicken pie with vegetables

Thursday - always a roast alternating between turkey, gammon and beef with cauliflower cheese, broccoli, sweetcorn, carrots and yorkshire puddings

Friday- always fish and hip fridays with chips, baked beans and vegetable fingers for vegetarian options.

GoingUpUpUp · 12/09/2024 15:10

4 week rotating menu with a roast on a Wednesday and fish fingers on a Friday each week.

Meat option, veggie option, hot tomato pasta, jacket potato or sandwich are offered everyday.

It’s very good I think.

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:09

Purplemummy444 · 12/09/2024 15:08

Three week rotating menu. One meat/fish, one veggie, one pasta with tomato sauce, jacket potato with cheese or beans, or a ham, cheese or tuna sandwich with carrot and cucumber sticks.

Wow! A lot of choice

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belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:09

Some parents want another option or a sandwich option.

Which according to this thread would be one more option than the norm.

Yes I suppose people don't want them eating a jacket everyday but I don't see an issue with that. I make sure mine eat variety at breakfast and dinner. A humble spud a day won't make them unhealthy.

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Purplemummy444 · 12/09/2024 15:08

Three week rotating menu. One meat/fish, one veggie, one pasta with tomato sauce, jacket potato with cheese or beans, or a ham, cheese or tuna sandwich with carrot and cucumber sticks.

InTheRainOnATrain · 12/09/2024 15:07

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:01

I don't know. I'm here trying to understand what's common practice and what's reasonable!

Is it that they’d rather the kids all be given the same, bar pre confirmed dietary requirements and that way they’ll be encouraged to eat a greater variety rather than plain jacket potato every day? The flip side of that being though that some won’t and hungry kids won’t be at their best in lessons and then it’ll just be a different group of parents up in arms about that. You can’t please everyone! But the school does sound pretty normal if that’s what you’re asking.

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:04

@wafflesmgee no packed lunches allowed. I for one am eternally grateful for that!

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CraverSpud · 12/09/2024 15:04

2 plus vegetarian option seems good.
I feel my age, at school the options were take it or leave it!

Meadowfinch · 12/09/2024 15:03

Three. Non-veggie hot, veggie hot and some sort of salad. Over a three week rotating menu.

wafflesmgee · 12/09/2024 15:03

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:01

I don't know. I'm here trying to understand what's common practice and what's reasonable!

Hilarious. Can't they just make packed lunches then?! The world has gone mad.

Smartiepants79 · 12/09/2024 15:03

Main meal, veggie, Jackets, or they can have a sandwich and crisps pack lunch type thing.

wafflesmgee · 12/09/2024 15:02

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 14:49

Ours is a two week rolling menu with a different main meal every day. Jacket potatoes available everyday for those who don't want the main meal.

Same

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:02

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 12/09/2024 14:59

Two week rolling menu.

Monday is vegetarian with two options, jacket potatoes and salad bar

Tuesday / Wednesday (roast dinner day) / Thursday one meat, one vegetarian, jacket potatoes and salad bar

Friday is fish Friday so fish, vegetarian, jacket potatoes and salad bar

I had to take Dts off school lunches when they ate jacket potato with cheese for half a term straight.

We don't have a packed lunch option.

I don't know what the issue is with having a jacket everyday?

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doodleschnoodle · 12/09/2024 15:01

Three. One meat or fish, one vegetarian, and soup and sandwich option. All kids can also have a bowl of the soup alongside whatever they choose.

belowwdeckk · 12/09/2024 15:01

InTheRainOnATrain · 12/09/2024 14:59

Why are parents up in arms about it?

I don't know. I'm here trying to understand what's common practice and what's reasonable!

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