AIBU to be concerned about my daughter's school lunch menu?

What's so bad about ham? misses the point entirely

Is your dd vegetarian?

rhe meals don’t sound healthy but there’s usually a meat option and a veggie option.

meat option available every lunchtime is normal, yes

It's generally processed in that it's full of nitrates and preservatives. A lot of people avoid it or give in moderation

I don’t think this is allowed under school meal regulations? They are only allowed 2 portions of processed meat a week I think

DS is in state school and this is his menu (one of 3 on rotation this term), do you not get to make the choices at home? We do on an app and it has to be done by the night before or later I think is 7am the morning of the meal. Or can she take a packed lunch? They also have a salad bar but it's salad not ham

It sounds pretty rubbish, but is it possible your DD is giving you a rather edited version of the menu? I'd be inclined to ask if they can email a copy of the menus for the week/term so you can see for yourself.

School meals aren't great in general, state is even worse.

Can't you just send in a packed lunch?

I think the OP’s concern is that all the meat is ultra processed. Things like ham, sausages, bacon are not recommended for eating every day.

Tbh @Mrspepperpotpot i would ask to see a menu and I would not be wild about those options, but there may be other better choices?

Can you encourage her to choose pasta and some actual salad? How old is she? It’s a shame there’s not things like chicken stir fry or a quorn choice or fish pie tbh but it’s hardly going to be pork chops I guess.

I think the meals my children eat on a state school and the children I teach eat in a state school are considerably better than that.

Ah okay thank you for humouring my ham question, I didn't know it was such a no no food.

Tbh if I was paying £££ i would expect better but if it was free sounds OK enough as food like that is cheaper amd easy to heat/make etc

How much are you paying to have lunch included? if it wasnt included would the fee stay much the same etc

I would expect more from an independent school. My kids are at different one and they both have a really healthy menu, all created by nutritionists. We also have the full menu and it’s in a 3 week rotation so the kids are getting something different every week. We have things like lasagne, stew, cottage pie , curries and all is made as a vegetarian version too.

I really would expect more from a private school.

I'm surprised with a menu like that there aren't others on packed lunches.

My kids go to a state school and as both are p6 and under the lunch is free. this is a snapshot of the menu.

If I was paying school fees I’d have selected a school that served organic and whole foods only, but then I am often shocked by what parents are happy for their kids to be eating and drinking. Middle class kids around me have multiple pints of coke in a couple of hours…

No, that’s weird. Parents should know what the meals are - either on the website, or on an app for choice as pp’s have said.

The food sounds foul, but you need an actual menu as there may well be other choices available.

You must be really lucky to have a good caterer at both. Our school is horrendous, they changed the caterer 2 years ago and everyone went into uproar. The meals are ridiculously processed and when questioned throw their hands in the air with "give us suggestions". Our at the time year 2 parents group put together a sample 3 weekly cycle of alternative meals options and the company just ignored every single option. The menu is exactly the same as last Summer Term.

Ours was nothing like that. It was freshly prepared very good meals, often locally sourced ingredients. Things like roast dinners etc. They definitely didn’t have red meat 4 days on the run. At secondary, it’s still good. Not dissimilar to the menus posted above. A real variety - things like spag bol, pasta, roast dinners, chicken curry etc. I’m surprised parents haven’t fed back their thoughts to school.

Packed lunches weren’t an option at our primary or secondary. Every child has school meals. However, the meals were/are good. Parents should be complaining if the quality is poor!

Mine are at an independent school and the meals are nothing like that. All meat is supplied by a local butchers and they only have a processed/junk option on a Friday (pizza etc). How much are you paying for the lunches?

Has it really got that bad? I am sure someone could make a fortune setting up a restaurant that did 1960s/70s school dinners.
https://observer.co.uk/food/recipes/article/school-dinners-looking-back-on-60-years-of-the-meals-you-loved-to-loathe

I’m the same, spent the first 5 years of my child’s life making everything from scratch and then they get to school and it’s nothing but processed crap everyday - yes it’s free but it’s paid for by the tax payer so not really free as I’m sure there’s an opportunity cost to it. I know people will say I’m being precious but ultra processed food is so bad for kids compared to fresh meat and vegetables, maybe it’s just my son but he’s so much brighter and more energy after a proper meal… it’s disgraceful those are the only options