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AMA

I’m a primary school cook/catering manager AMA

49 replies

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:15

Following on from various threads complaining about school lunches, I’m happy to answer any questions.

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MumDoingHerBest · 11/10/2025 18:16

Do children ever ask for seconds because they’re still hungry? If so, are you allowed to say yes, or is it always no?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:21

MumDoingHerBest · 11/10/2025 18:16

Do children ever ask for seconds because they’re still hungry? If so, are you allowed to say yes, or is it always no?

Our lunch service is 45 mins so any leftovers are available after everyone has been served . However this tends to only realistically be year six who are still in the dining hall at this point . All children can have extra fruit if they have finished their lunch and still hungry though.

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cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:23

It is more common that children don’t finish their lunch and are in a hurry to you out to play . Very few children ask for more and I would always find them something if they were still hungry .

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Thingyfanding1 · 11/10/2025 18:24

Are budgets tighter than they used to be? If so, are portions smaller as a consequence?

ILikeBigBookssandIcannotlie · 11/10/2025 18:25

How do you feel about the responsibility of catering for children with severe allergies/Anaphylaxis?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:28

Thingyfanding1 · 11/10/2025 18:24

Are budgets tighter than they used to be? If so, are portions smaller as a consequence?

It’s not something I have noticed yo be honest , and I have been in my job for 9 years . Obviously food cost has increased but this has mostly been managed by more in house cooked food and less pre-prepared ie homemade cookies for dessert are far less costly than tubs of ice cream .

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cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:30

ILikeBigBookssandIcannotlie · 11/10/2025 18:25

How do you feel about the responsibility of catering for children with severe allergies/Anaphylaxis?

I personally feel confident in dealing with allergies . We have good systems in place.

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Polyestered · 11/10/2025 18:38

Is a lot of it pre packaged / UPF eg sauces?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:43

Polyestered · 11/10/2025 18:38

Is a lot of it pre packaged / UPF eg sauces?

To a certain extent , although we have to abide by school meal standards so any readymade sauces etc are approved by our councils school meals dept. I try to make as much homemade as possible but I suppose where the budget cuts come into play is in the staffing , therefore time is short.

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myrapage · 11/10/2025 18:43

I have been wondering how processed and how salty the meals are?
they serve a lot of things like burgers and chip or fish fingers, pizza, etc. Is that all home made making it at least marginally better or is it as bad as it sounds?

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 11/10/2025 18:49

We were forced to eat whatever was 'dolloped' onto our plates before we could go outside to the play ground.

I had to hide inedible bits of food in my clothing to escape - are these draconian practices stlll in place or can I finally let the nightmares go?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:50

myrapage · 11/10/2025 18:43

I have been wondering how processed and how salty the meals are?
they serve a lot of things like burgers and chip or fish fingers, pizza, etc. Is that all home made making it at least marginally better or is it as bad as it sounds?

Pizza we make in house (albeit with tinned sauce) , fish fingers are Birds Eye , burgers and sausages from local butcher. Processed meat is only used once per week .

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cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:54

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 11/10/2025 18:49

We were forced to eat whatever was 'dolloped' onto our plates before we could go outside to the play ground.

I had to hide inedible bits of food in my clothing to escape - are these draconian practices stlll in place or can I finally let the nightmares go?

Certainly not forced to eat . Personally I think we should be encouraging more though . I think most parents would be shocked by how little is actually eaten , and I don’t believe this is because the meals are ‘slop’ and more because children would rather be playing.

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Chinupchicken · 11/10/2025 18:59

Do you work for a catering company or is run by the school?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 19:00

Chinupchicken · 11/10/2025 18:59

Do you work for a catering company or is run by the school?

We are run by the school .

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hellowhaaat3632 · 11/10/2025 19:04

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 18:50

Pizza we make in house (albeit with tinned sauce) , fish fingers are Birds Eye , burgers and sausages from local butcher. Processed meat is only used once per week .

Much better than i thought tbh! And a relief..
would this be country wide?

hellowhaaat3632 · 11/10/2025 19:06

Is it true young kids are served food on plastic trays, like prison?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 19:08

hellowhaaat3632 · 11/10/2025 19:06

Is it true young kids are served food on plastic trays, like prison?

I know nothing about prison, but yes , plastic trays.

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cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 19:11

hellowhaaat3632 · 11/10/2025 19:04

Much better than i thought tbh! And a relief..
would this be country wide?

Edited

The school meals standards are country wide . They are guidelines which all schools should use and available on Gov.uk

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Geneticsbunny · 11/10/2025 19:20

Why do schools still serve meat when it is so expensive? Wouldn't the kids get hugger quality meals if they were all veggie?

I am not veggie by the way, just eat mostly veg and only have meat once or twice a week

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 19:30

Geneticsbunny · 11/10/2025 19:20

Why do schools still serve meat when it is so expensive? Wouldn't the kids get hugger quality meals if they were all veggie?

I am not veggie by the way, just eat mostly veg and only have meat once or twice a week

Edited

In my experience, with the exception of upf meat substitutes, most children are not great fans of vegetarian food . Pizza and jacket potatoes are also exceptions, but have cheese as a protein which is high fat and salt. We do have a meat free day at least once a week , but unless it’s pizza it’s not very popular. We have a vegetarian option every day , which on the whole take more time , are usually healthier and in my opinion are much tastier. They are sadly very unpopular, and only the vegetarian children on the whole actually choose them .

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ButWhysTheRumGone · 11/10/2025 19:53

Why is so much UPF Quorn used for veggie meals? Why so many cakes and cookies? My son is veggie and entitled to FSM but I took him off them due to all the sugary desserts and UPF. He doesn’t need cake or cookies every school day. He’d eat plain pasta, baked beans and a cookie or a cake. He won’t eat things like curries or stir fry. Plus eating off sectioned plastic trays is not very appetising. Not that lunch boxes are great either.

Newnamethisway · 11/10/2025 20:02

Who decides the menus?

cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 20:09

ButWhysTheRumGone · 11/10/2025 19:53

Why is so much UPF Quorn used for veggie meals? Why so many cakes and cookies? My son is veggie and entitled to FSM but I took him off them due to all the sugary desserts and UPF. He doesn’t need cake or cookies every school day. He’d eat plain pasta, baked beans and a cookie or a cake. He won’t eat things like curries or stir fry. Plus eating off sectioned plastic trays is not very appetising. Not that lunch boxes are great either.

Most of the problems you have mentioned probably due to (lack of ) funding. There are probably only around 5% of vegetarian children at the school I work in so less time to spend on what is often very few meals . Homemade cakes and cookies are very cheap to make . We have fruit for dessert twice a week ( also available as an option on every other day), a milk based dessert once a week ( usually ice cream or yogurt) and usually cake or cookies on the other 2 days . The cakes are often lower sugar recipes and a small portion. I really don’t think the children have a problem eating from plastic trays , although it’s not really something I’ve thought about . It does save on washing up though as a plate, bowl and tray would be 3x the amount and therefore time and staffing would increase, potentially leaving less budget for the actual food.

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cabsavtonight · 11/10/2025 20:13

Newnamethisway · 11/10/2025 20:02

Who decides the menus?

we are in house as opposed to contracted caterers , so we use menus from our councils school meals team . I do however make some tweaks ( within school meal standards) as I know what the children will eat . It is a balancing act to be honest to ensure healthy meals but also give the children food they will enjoy .

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