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Original poster

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

250 replies

dreakdays · 29/09/2022 22:11

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...

OP posts:
InvincibleInvisibility · 29/09/2022 23:36

Again it could be SEN.

Both of mine have ADHD and other SN. My eldest never feels full (except on ritalin). He cannot leave any food in front of him and licks every plate clean. We have to be really strict with him and focus on healthy and strong.

The youngest is picky and has a small appetite. Consequently we have to try and encourage one to eat more and the other to eat less. Of course the one with the huge appetite also wants to finish his brother's plate....

Other problem is that the eldest cannot stand the youngest eating when he is not. So youngest might have eaten next to nothing for breakfast but asks for a banana at 9am. Eldest immediately asks for food too despite having had a large breakfast...

RedHelenB · 29/09/2022 23:42

dreakdays · 29/09/2022 23:33

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

Id try giving him some monstermunch in that case.

AnightwiththeTiger · 29/09/2022 23:43

Prada-Willi?

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Marcipex · 29/09/2022 23:46

Add a banana or an apple, a pot of cherry tomatoes maybe? Olives are salty and not very filling.
Otherwise it sounds like plenty.

He probably just likes the look of other lunches! I think maybe the teacher is a bit naïve if she thinks grabbing =very hungry. Probably just opportunistic :)

EmeraldShamrock1 · 29/09/2022 23:52

They seem to be hungrier in school than at home.

DD eats like a mouse over the holidays and weekends during a school week she has a ferocious appetite.

Give him an extra sandwich in place of the bar or some crackers with cheese.

Marmite17 · 29/09/2022 23:56

Sounds like a lot for an adult lunch tbh! Never mind a 5 year old. Perhaps swap eg the olives for Monster Munch? I'd also be reluctant to increase the amount.

EmeraldShamrock1 · 29/09/2022 23:56

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.

The school really should not be allowing DC eat crap during school hours.

That is madness a bunch of sugar filled DC.

My DC school has always allowed a small treat size sweet on Friday afternoons only.

Mulhollandmagoo · 30/09/2022 00:00

Does he eat all of his own packed lunch? That would be your biggest indicator as to whether or not he's stealing the food because he's hungry, or for another reason? Likelihood is he just wants what they have, would he understand if you had a chat with him about stealing other people's food?

Crumpleton · 30/09/2022 00:00

Maybe try an extra sandwich, crisps or banana and see how things go.
Do you ever ask him what he'd like in his lunch bag?

It can't be very nice for him to keep getting told off every lunchtime especially if it's he is genuinely hungry and not just trying it on

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 30/09/2022 00:05

Maybe try something that takes longer to eat so he doesnt finish so early. Crusty roll or bagel instead of warburton thins or whatever, or if he only eats bread try a thicker cut.

SARMalinois · 30/09/2022 00:05

Can you have the teacher hold on to his little cake bar and hand it to him if he’s good? He can earn it for not stealing.

PickAChew · 30/09/2022 00:06

LilacPoppy · 29/09/2022 23:29

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.

The language suggests you copied that from a US site so the sandwich is probably the size of a house and the bread more like cake.

Meili04 · 30/09/2022 00:13

Could be a sensory issue? Like other food the children have are a better sensory experience for him? I would send another bit of sandwich if he's still taking food I'd have a check up with GP. I'd check his weight as well and height. If it's not a physical health problem it could be behavioural , a lot of people with SEN/LD are incredibly food orientated and require help to manage food intake.

Thelongnights · 30/09/2022 00:36

Could you ask teacher what it is he's stealing ?? ... my 7 y/o comes home all the time asking for different stuff she seen her friends having for lunch that she wants to try .. my dd is an awful picky eater but we facilitate this and sometimes she actually likes the new item which is cool because we are always trying to expand her eating habits.

Maybe your son just wants to try the foods his friends are having, watching someone else enjoy something might just make him curious to try, it's perfectly normal. I understand he has special needs and may not be able to communicate to you exactly what he wants to try or may not remember, so asking his teacher if it happens again to maybe jot down on a post it what it was he was trying to steal and pop it in his lunch box/bag. That way you can try it at home.

NevieSticks · 30/09/2022 00:49

What's the worse that can happen if you give some more food? It comes back home? At least then you will know that he's stealing not because he is hungry.

Somethingneedstochange · 30/09/2022 00:57

Why are they making him wait when other children are still eating when he has finished? Can't they take him out once he's eaten? My two have left school now. But as soon as my daughter had finished eating she would say go now. Meaning she's done now she wants to go and play. Just a matter of having a few staff for the early finisher's. They were in a special needs school. The younger children went on first sitting and the older children on the second sitting.

What you put in is plenty for a 5 year old. But if you give him double he will get overweight. Does he drink plenty? Sometimes you think your still hungry but what you actually need is a drink.

Somethingneedstochange · 30/09/2022 01:01

What she puts in for a 5 year old is plenty though. If she puts more in he will be taking in too many calories and probably gain weight. They shouldn't be making him wait when he has finished his food. While there are other children still eating. I think it's more a case of he sees something another child has he didn't have so he wants that food as well.

Original poster
dreakdays · 30/09/2022 01:19

AnightwiththeTiger · 29/09/2022 23:43

Prada-Willi?

No. He's a healthy weight, athletic lean build

OP posts:
Original poster
dreakdays · 30/09/2022 01:22

EmeraldShamrock1 · 29/09/2022 23:56

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.

The school really should not be allowing DC eat crap during school hours.

That is madness a bunch of sugar filled DC.

My DC school has always allowed a small treat size sweet on Friday afternoons only.

They can have whatever they like. But to be fair, lots of these children have extremely limited diets (not my DS really!)

OP posts:
Original poster
dreakdays · 30/09/2022 01:25

He doesn't drink enough I'd say. And takes a lot of prompting and reminding with his bottle to drink

OP posts:
JustKittenAround · 30/09/2022 01:25

PickAChew · 30/09/2022 00:06

The language suggests you copied that from a US site so the sandwich is probably the size of a house and the bread more like cake.

Show quote history

Although I will admit American portions are wild, I would argue that for kids it’s not the same type of craziness. Kids are fat over here for many means reasons but I promise it’s not normal to have a full on deli style sandwich in a school lunch or even an adults packed lunch…. a normal kids sandwich looks similar to the UK, with sliced bread and a few slices of meat, cheese, and such.

Where American’s get crazy with kids is the processed snacks and the fast food. But really little kids just get normal bread sandwiches usually. Though the American in me is intrigued to try this Bread Cake Sandwich you speak of…. You might have just invented the newest food craze!!!

Anyway OP, it might be worth a shot to ask the school a few more questions about your child’s behavior… like if he is finishing the food too quick, or if he is sneaking some of it at other times… oh and if he’s mainly going for the sweets…

TheOnlyBeeInYourBonnet · 30/09/2022 01:36

I agree throwing in an extra sandwich and a banana for a few days should either prove or disprove the teacher's theory that it's hunger.

flowersindaei · 30/09/2022 01:36

"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!"

You can avoid him becoming this type of "good Lordy Lord" person by banging a bag of transform a snacks in his lunch bag.

ChampagneCamping · 30/09/2022 01:39

That’s enough food for a five year old. What percentile is he on? Only give more if he is actively underweight and directed to eat more by medics.

This sounds behavioural, something the school should be implementing strategies for

Somethingneedstochange · 30/09/2022 01:52

They should really be encouraging them to try more healthier foods. Not telling you not to send it in when you know he won't eat it.

When my son started school. He would literally only eat mash, carrots and chicken. No lumps though. Had to be each food seperate but like baby food literally. The only fruit he would eat were sometimes a bit of banana. He would sometimes eat a sandwich but only cheese spread.

School encouraged him to try different textures. But it was mainly having his younger sister who also has special needs that helped. She would and still does eat anything put in front of her. At 19 I can now put anything in front of him and he will eat it. Even salad and liver and onions with dumplings. They will both choose a home cooked meal over fast food.