School complaining about dd perfectly normal packed lunch.

[Juk3]

The class TA came out to talk to me yesterday (from a distance) to discuss dd unhealthy lunch and the lunch box policy. The dinner lady assigned to dd raised it and the TA did say she wasn't in the class room during lunch so was just passing on info she had been given. She asked me to have a look on the website for the lunch box policy and try to adhere to it if possible, she was perfectly pleasant and I took my telling off but after reading the policy dd's lunch has not broken any rules. I try to make a variety of different lunches as I wouldn't want to eat the same thing every day myself. If I list yesterday's and today's lunch below could you tell me what's so bad about them as I just don't get it. I am wondering if the there has been a mix up with kids not that I will bring this up with school.

Yesterday:- grilled chicken breast with mayo on a mini wrap with lettuce, cucumber and tomato.
Carrot and red pepper sticks with a single serve pot of humous.
Pot of honeydew melon.
A tube yogurt.
A square of homemade shortbread.
A bag of sliced apple (she usually will have this at break).
Carton of juice

Today:- sliced boiled egg sandwich on 50/50 bread with crusts removed.
Pot of sliced red grapes.
2 mini cucumbers and celery sticks with a single serve pot of humous.
Small bag of mini pretzels.
A bag of sliced apple (usually eaten at break)
Carton of juice

She is 8 (9 in dec) in year 4 perfectly normal height and weight.

@Juk3

I emailed school earlier and the TA came out again at the end of the day to discuss the situation. The offending item was cold pizza which dd has never had on her lunch box so it was a case of mistaken identity.

My sons school served pizza for breakfast yesterday

I would ask for details and query what the school is giving out in the way of hot meals because I doubt it's the height of nutritional value.

Then tell them to mind their own business.

I agree with everyone else: it's probably the juice that's got their wand in a knot.

Is it the grapes? Did you chop them up? Choking hazard maybe?

A slice of pizza is no different to a Cheese and tomato sandwich, surely?

A slice of pizza is no different to a Cheese and tomato sandwich, surely

No its not really. And one of those yogurt covered cereal bars would be allowed but a couple if squared of chocolate or 2 celebrations wouldn't be.

Could they have got her name wrong? I am a lunchtime supervisor and I’m constantly calling them all diff names!

Pizza can be incredibly healthy or gruesomely unhealthy depending on how you make it. Leftover pizza hut is obviously not a great lunch. Left over homemade pizza with healthy dough and toppings could be great.

It might be the juice. Otherwise sounds good.

My DD is in reception - her school provides free meals consist of pizza, fish and chips, burger, chips on multiple days of the week, a pudding everyday - ice cream/donuts/biscuit - if the school even dared to question one day what I put in her lunchbox I'll send them a years worth of their own menus!!

That's absolutely outrageous...I think the school could use your daughters lunches as a template for the parents who put crisps chocolate & cake in their childrens lunches!! And I commend you on your calm attitude with the school because I would be bloody furious...mainly because as a mum of older daughters at this age the girls are all becoming body & weight concious & are hyper aware of things that are "mentioned " ! Your daughters meals sound delicious nutritious & healthy for a pre pubescent girl heading for a huge growth spurt ! 🤩🥰 sounds like ur a great mum 👍

When mine were at primary - not a million years ago - the standard packed lunch most people did was ham or cheese sandwich, crisps, biscuit, piece of fruit and juice (carton, fruit shoot, quenchy cup, that sort of thing) and one of the snacks was for break time. I couldn’t be doing with the lunch box police some schools have now. Especially given what the school meal options are. (Lots of pizza, sausage rolls, macaroni cheese, and daily puddings on the last local menu I saw.)

I wish you would make packed lunches for me OP.

Not a clue maybe ask head to ask dinner lady. Can I just ask why you cut crusts off, best bit. Plus more nutrients in crust

@yasmeani

Jesus Christ...what the hell? *@Shinyletsbebadguys* that's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! What happens if you bump into said child on a Saturday after having eggs for breakfast! 🤣🤣 I cant see how the school can dictate what people are eating for breakfast ! My dd has eggy bread or poached eggs on toast every morning before school and I wouldn't be giving that up!! She won't eat cereal or plain toast so I'd rather she went in with a full belly.

My son has a severe ANA reaction to certain foods. In close confines of a classroom yes the breath, traces on hands etc could kill him. You would seriously be willing to risk his life? Really?

What on earth? What happened to normal sandwiches? Glad mines are having school lunches. I would be inclined to give them crisps and a chocolate biscuits and bread with cheese or ham........all this healthy eating seems too boring.....lol....actually I am slightly jealous of your lucky DD and would like a similar lunch myself.....or for my children......do you live near me? You could start a business doing childrena school lunches. I think they deffo got things mixed up. X

Christ I hate this shit. Every day my boys (6&8) have no breakfast and for lunch one has 2 pepperoni, a dry wrap, a pack of hula hoops and an angel slice and the other has 5 mini sausage rolls, ready salted crisps and a mini bag of chocolate biscuits. Every single bloody day.

I’d cry with happiness if they ate anything like your lunches op. And I’d tell the school to piss right off if they said anything to me.

Ds1 eats pizza for dinner every night. I’d be over the moon if he’d have it cold for lunch.

Looks like a very good lunch to me. I really can't see what the problem is and I would ask them to detail exactly what the issue is.

@Jojobees

The sad thing is that 29 other parents can't completely change their children's eating habits for one child depending on the allergy - nut allergy I can understand as not generally common to give kids nut based food for breakfast and plenty of alternative but if you have a long list of other allergens to common food staples - milk, eggs, dairy for example I thinks it unreasonable to expect every other parent to adapt and police that?

Not only does the world have Boris Johnson Covid police state now apparently we have the school lunch police.

Crikey, who are these schools who have time to police lunchboxes at the moment? While my class are eating lunch I’m frantically responding to emails, prepping for my next lesson and trying to eat myself.

Shortbread would only be allowed in our school on Fridays.

Sounds like the dinner lady was just jealous that your DD had a better lunch the she did. I’ve found my children always have better lunches then I do and I pack them all.

[quote ivfbeenbusy]@Jojobees

The sad thing is that 29 other parents can't completely change their children's eating habits for one child depending on the allergy - nut allergy I can understand as not generally common to give kids nut based food for breakfast and plenty of alternative but if you have a long list of other allergens to common food staples - milk, eggs, dairy for example I thinks it unreasonable to expect every other parent to adapt and police that? [/quote]
My sons is nuts but what if it were egg, would people seriously risk his life given there are plenty of breakfast alternatives?

"Shortbread would only be allowed in our school on Fridays."

What a joyless and neurotic society we have become

It all sounds fine to me and I have seen some really unhealthy lunch boxes (including a 4 pack of currant buns - and nothing else - for a 6 year old!)