School want me to give DC double the amount of food for lunch?

[dreakdays]

DC is 5 and has...

A cheese and onion/egg mayo sandwich

A cheese

Small pot of olives (I put these in, about 4/5 olives)

A peperami

A yogurt

A little cake bar, such as a banana soreen bar

His teacher has requested I double this, as apparently he's finishing his lunch and trying to steal other Children's food!

For breakfast he has peanut butter on toast (he won't eat anything else like porridge etc)

I really don't think it's necessary to double his food. I'd give things like veg etc or fruit but he won't eat it. It just won't get eaten and if I try to send it amongst everything else, the school tell me not to send it in as he doesn't like it

This is a special needs school but I'm a bit annoyed at having to double up on lunches

I think he's just trying to explore more stuff and needs to just be told no here...

That’s not the case at all SEN schools. Iv never even heard of all lunches being free as it’s a SEN school.

Well, I didn't know that, I just assumed it was the same everywhere. Autism school from 5-19 and all food is free....wonder if that will change in the cost of living crisis.....

is Your son over weight? If he’s not then I’d just add more in.

try things like

Sugar Free Jelly
Any fruit he will eat at all?
Huomous & pitta or veg sticks
low calorie crisp?
rice cakes
chicken chunks/skewers

It would be entirely reasonable for it to change. I’m surprised they have even put that into the budget.

I looked at 3 SEN schools local to me and non of them had free lunch! I wish they did though 😂

I think doubling his food sounds ridiculous. I don’t think it’s a hunger issue but more related to his SEN. School need to step in and manage it better IMO not expect him to be occupied by a supersized lunch.

This.

good grief, my teenagers would have hoovered that and then looked for the main course.

Is he not possibly getting a thirst trigger from all the salt which his brain is interpreting as hunger? It sounds like adequate portions for a five year old, I'd just do two rounds of sandwiches to bulk it out if they feel he is hungry, do they listen to you about his impulse control?

So would you prefer hom steal others food??? Just increase it somehow for god sake what's the issue, feed your child!

Pop on a biscuits or two, poor kid

They are possibly suggesting Monster Munch as they are low in calories but take a long time to eat.

He’s probably about to have a growth spurt, it’s especially noticeable with boys. Some months my DS eats double what he does other months.

Will he really not eat anything more nutritious for breakfast? Can you add nuts, eggs, hot chocolate?

For lunch Just double the sandwich.

I'm not sure what your DCs SEN is, but some children with SEN struggle with appetite regulation, could this be the case with your child? If so then the school should be managing this, not asking for more food when he already has plenty.

My DS goes to a special school, and we have the opposite problem - today he ate a marmite roll and some raisins for lunch and that's it.

My 3 year old eats a bucket load at lunch, far more than my 6 year old.

I'd try adding more and see what happens. Mini cheddars, banana, carrot sticks, cold chicken, yogurt covered rice cakes, cheese dippers all go down ok here. Will he eat flavoured Greek yogurt? It's high in protein so more filling. Maybe try for a week and the reassess?

Why would you not do as they suggest? What’s the problem with giving him more food? The teacher is there with him at lunch and knows your son, I would definitely try their advice of doubling it and if he doesn’t need that much it’ll be obvious after only a couple days so you can adjust then. None of us know your son or how big this sandwich is you’re making him or how active he is in the day.

Good lord!! I don't have that much and I'm a 15 stone (fatty!) woman 😱 My daily pack up is a ham sandwich and a bag of crisps! I'm a teacher...never stop rushing around!

Your child has plenty in their lunch box...speak to him about why he's taking other people's food though!

Is he possibly hypo-sensitive to feeling full? Sounds a bit like one of my DCs (ND) at that age who didn't seem to know when he had had enough to eat and was also very keen on other peoples' food and had poor impulse control. Sounds to me like the school needs to work with you on it, and stop him trying to take the other childrens' food. Maybe - as others have said - give him a lunch that takes longer to ear. FWIW I think that what you're giving him sounds like a lot of food, and more than my teens get as a packed lunch. They do have bigger breakfasts than your ds.

Find out what he's stealing and get him some! Might expand his appetite- i mean this in the nicest way (I work with SEN kids). Tbh though his lunch doesn't sound that filling especially after a small breakfast. My dc only wants a piece of fruit at breakfast so I make sure I put extra in at lunch (which they have spread over break and lunch).

Is he actually eating the food he's stealing?

I used to work in a residential home for adults with LDs and food used to regularly get 'stolen' from the communal fridge. They'd normally be hidden under beds, so not really taken because of hunger, more of a hoarding type behaviour.

Depends on the size of the sandwich! I’ve seen videos on FB of mummies preparing children packed lunches and using cookie cutter to make sandwiched. I’m astounded by the amount of bread that gets wasted to make a teddy bear shaped sandwich! My son used to have four rounds of bread made into sandwiches for his lunch when he was in reception.

Definitely not , that lunch is already too high calorie for a five year old unless he is exceptionally tall for his age.

This is a nutritionally balanced lunch for a 4-6 year old
Lunch

1/2 turkey-and-cheese sandwich on whole-wheat bread
Yellow pepper strips with 2 tbsp. low-fat ranch dressing
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

and that is it.

You don't say what his needs are but my ND son really struggled with interroception - including feeling full - and would literally eat until he was in severe pain. Very hard to manage, luckily he didn't go after other children's food.

My other c

Sorry accidentally pressed post - my other child also struggles but with not knowing he's thirsty or needs toilet, he'll get really distressed but it's only when we tell him to drink or go to the loo he'll realise that's the problem.

So I would encourage slower eating, if possible, or foods that require slower eating, and lots of fluids he likes.

Thank you

I really do think this is a case of him seeing other kids with crisps like monster munch, and sweet treats like French fancy cakes, chocolate roll cakes etc and wanting those

Is he taking other children's food because he's hungry or because he's finished and he has to sit there watching them still eating? I can imagine that there may be quite a variation in how quickly they eat. Are they able to go and play once they've eaten?