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Original poster

School stopping Meat Free Monday doesn’t make any sense

139 replies

Miriamfriend · 01/09/2025 18:59

Our schools trust has recently stopped being part of Meat Free Monday for school lunches. The school have said some parents complained about it.

The school is very focused on being environmentally conscious- crisps not allowed as a break time snack due to potential errant packets, single use plastic actively discouraged etc. I can’t see a single reason why a school or a parent would have any issue with lunches being meat free for one day a week but maybe I’m missing something?

You are being unreasonable- being meat free for one meal is not a reasonable request

You are not being unreasonable -being meat free for one school meal is not a bad thing

OP posts:
GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 12:23

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/09/2025 10:08

Well, giving evidence might give you more credibility. But just a bald statement isn't convincing.

Show quote history

I'm not aiming to convince you of anything. I'm just not interested in your evangelising. HTH

sashh · 02/09/2025 11:16

SweetnsourNZ · 02/09/2025 11:15

Maybe because the pasta contains egg so is not suitable for vegan children.

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I doubt any school is buying or making egg pasta.

SweetnsourNZ · 02/09/2025 11:15

Bitzee · 01/09/2025 19:38

My kids school does it but bizarrely still offers a vegetarian option even though the Monday main is also veggie e.g. the main is tomato pasta but veggie is tofu thai curry. It doesn’t bother me except I’m not thrilled that quorn appears on the rotating menu because it’s ultra processed junk but it’s only every 3 weeks so not worth complaining about.

Maybe because the pasta contains egg so is not suitable for vegan children.

DiscoBob · 02/09/2025 11:13

I guess if a bunch of kids were shunning the food on meat free day and consequently not getting fed, and the food going to waste, then they have a decent reason to stop it.

Presumably they do still offer veggie options anyway so your kid can just choose that? But if a large proportion of parents were complaining they needed to keep them happy I guess.

I personally don't see any issue with one meat free day. But then again I wouldn't have touched any of the meat served at school dinners when I was a kid! I lived off grated cheese and grated carrots!

Needspaceforlego · 02/09/2025 11:09

Its one of those things if you have kids with allergies or general fussiness its better they have as much choice as possible.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/09/2025 10:08

GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 09:01

My reply stands.
I have read more than you seem to realise.

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Well, giving evidence might give you more credibility. But just a bald statement isn't convincing.

GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 09:01

SumUp · 02/09/2025 08:47

Taking other dietary and environmental factors into account, red and processed meats are carcinogenic. Read the research.

Schools have specific nutritional guidelines based on research findings like this. They also have tight budgets to deliver the meals, so they simply cannot afford to serve poultry every day, even the cheapest imported chicken is out of budget.

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My reply stands.
I have read more than you seem to realise.

SumUp · 02/09/2025 08:47

GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 07:34

So, 'meat is carcinogenic' as a blanket statement is indeed incorrect.
Overconsumption of certain meats may contribute to cancer.
Lots of environmental and dietary factors may contribute to cancer.
There's no need for a specific day to be assigned to eating a certain way.

Edited
Show quote history

Taking other dietary and environmental factors into account, red and processed meats are carcinogenic. Read the research.

Schools have specific nutritional guidelines based on research findings like this. They also have tight budgets to deliver the meals, so they simply cannot afford to serve poultry every day, even the cheapest imported chicken is out of budget.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/09/2025 08:46

Ekkekkkeekkkekk · 02/09/2025 07:31

Meat doesn’t cause cancer FFS.

Ancient foods don’t cause modern diseases.

Cows are PART of the carbon cycle, they don’t contribute to it. Unlike tilling and fossil fuels.

Actually, it is a factor in bowel cancer.

Username12284949 · 02/09/2025 08:40

KnickerlessParsons · 01/09/2025 19:18

If they stopped using the term “meat free Monday” and just served up
macaroni cheese or something, no one would even notice.

DM (90) doesn’t like vegetarian food, but she’ll happily eat a meal with no meat in it if it’s just served up without a fanfare.

This is true, I’ve worked in a school kitchen for over 3 years and it was only recently I realised that every Tuesday was “meat free”.

Scalextricks · 02/09/2025 08:24

Simpleturnip · 01/09/2025 21:24

I have explained above, many meat substitues contain wheat/gluten. Throw in a dairy allergy and it rules out a lot of options whereas I know I can get a good meal if its meat or fish based. A healthy vegetarian diet is often harder to achieve for those with allergies.

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Yes good point about a lot of meat substitutes containing wheat /gluten too

And ultimately being vegetarian/vegan is a choice. Having allergies isnt

Scalextricks · 02/09/2025 08:23

It could be allergies?

My son is allergic to lentils, soy, egg and milk. Vegetarian/vegan meals are rarely safe for him.

Corfumanchu · 02/09/2025 08:10

I think it's right they are stopping it. I assume veggie options are always available. It is a case of forcing your own views on other people.

Mynewnameis · 02/09/2025 08:10

Our meat free meals are pizza, ok.
Pasta bake- dd won't eat and I make packed lunch. Many kids didnt like it

NCSue87 · 02/09/2025 08:06

Ekkekkkeekkkekk · 02/09/2025 07:31

Meat doesn’t cause cancer FFS.

Ancient foods don’t cause modern diseases.

Cows are PART of the carbon cycle, they don’t contribute to it. Unlike tilling and fossil fuels.

Part of it that we created. You dont 'get' wild cows. We engineered the breed.

NCSue87 · 02/09/2025 08:05

Frenzi · 01/09/2025 20:08

I get the reasoning behind it and it and it wouldnt bother me in the slightest but I do also see where some parents are coming from.

Their child eats meat - why do they have to do a meat free Monday with no other option with meat in it.

If your child was vegan/vegetarian and Tuesday was meat only with no vegetarian option you wouldn't be happy.

So why is it okay to have a day where meat eaters have no choice to eat meat but its not okay for vegetarians to have a day where they have no choice to only eat meat?

This is nonsensical. A vegetarian child wouldnt have anything to eat on a meat only day but a child who eats meat would still have options on a no meat day.

GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 07:34

SumUp · 02/09/2025 07:29

Red and processed meats are carcinogenic.

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/diet-and-cancer/does-processed-and-red-meat-cause-cancer

Cancer research UK specifically recommend Meat Free Mondays as one of a number of ways to help reduce consumption.

Show quote history

So, 'meat is carcinogenic' as a blanket statement is indeed incorrect.
Overconsumption of certain meats may contribute to cancer.
Lots of environmental and dietary factors may contribute to cancer.
There's no need for a specific day to be assigned to eating a certain way.

SumUp · 02/09/2025 07:33

Ekkekkkeekkkekk · 02/09/2025 07:31

Meat doesn’t cause cancer FFS.

Ancient foods don’t cause modern diseases.

Cows are PART of the carbon cycle, they don’t contribute to it. Unlike tilling and fossil fuels.

Read some actual research. Red and processed meats ARE carcinogenic. Ask your doctor or a medical professional if you don’t believe Cancer Research UK.

Ekkekkkeekkkekk · 02/09/2025 07:31

Meat doesn’t cause cancer FFS.

Ancient foods don’t cause modern diseases.

Cows are PART of the carbon cycle, they don’t contribute to it. Unlike tilling and fossil fuels.

Needspaceforlego · 02/09/2025 07:11

Mushy base that will be it. He doesn't do mush.

For long enough he wouldn't touch pizza at all. Then asked for a budget 49p individual pizza. Which I started adding extra cheese too.
He will now eat thin pizza cheese and pepperoni but is still picky.

GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 06:51

Needspaceforlego · 02/09/2025 06:46

Mine would opt for cheese sandwich with those options.

No allergies just doesn't really do mushy wet food. And never has even as a baby he refused all mush.
I often pull his dinner out the pot before I add sauce. So things like carbonarra without the cream.
Also describes schools pizza as disgusting (how is it possible to make pizza disgusting?)

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Ways to make pizza disgusting are numerous, but cooking in batches and then attempting to keep individual slices warm, as many schools do, is a sure way to produce unpleasant pizza! The cheese congeals and the dough either goes like it's raw/mushy or turns really hard. The toppings might harden too, which won't help.

GleisZwei · 02/09/2025 06:47

Quorn is, quite frankly, revolting.
Lots of folk feel sick/upset stomach after eating it too. I was a vegetarian for years but avoided it after a few attempts with it, due to the digestive effects.

Needspaceforlego · 02/09/2025 06:46

AnnaBegins · 01/09/2025 21:35

Last term at our school, meat free Monday was a choice of either the disgusting pizza that even the kids won't eat, or macaroni cheese.

To be fair, this term they are trying, it's either the disgusting pizza, or a 3 week rotation of spaghetti with garlic butter (so much less to make than £2.80), veg risotto, or vegan curry (sounds delicious but my kids tell me it's not).

But it's the waste that gets me - most of the kids either eat very little, or opt for a cheese sandwich, so all that effort goes in the bin. I'd be happy if they'd scrap the "title" and with it the pizza, and just offer a decent quality meat option on Mondays too.

Mine would opt for cheese sandwich with those options.

No allergies just doesn't really do mushy wet food. And never has even as a baby he refused all mush.
I often pull his dinner out the pot before I add sauce. So things like carbonarra without the cream.
Also describes schools pizza as disgusting (how is it possible to make pizza disgusting?)

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/09/2025 06:45

TheNightingalesStarling · 01/09/2025 19:03

What were the meal options like? It was often cheese pizza for example at Primary. Or fake meat, which isn't good for them.

The crap quality, meat sausages are much worse than the veggie ones tho.

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