At end of tether with DS eating at school

[wangle99]

DS is 5, wheat and gluten intolerant (currently testing negative to coeliac disease).

Packed lunches absolutely nightmare, DS is going through the school day on practically nothing and the school 'don't encourage the packed lunch children to eat' but do with school dinners.

I really don't know what to do, Friday he ate 1/2 a homemade flapjack (which wasn't huge to start with) and 1/2 packet of crisps (which they aren't meant to have being a healthy school), he did get fruit at breaktime but that was it all day.

When he was being wheat/gluten challenged he had school dinners and ate EVERYTHING every day and it pains me that now he's eating hardly anything. He was so much happier as well.

Don't suspect anyone will have any advice but just on the off chance they did thought it was worth posting.

Thank you.

What range of menu do the school have? ours have a jacket potato option everyday (yes I know that could be boring) and often have rice dishes.Are they made on the premises or brought in- if they are brought in then they can get gluten and wheat free options specially for your child. If made on the premises they can equally make fresh food for your child. Or they should- have you spoken to the kitchen staff themselves-not via a teacher?

my daughter went through a phase of not eating her sandwiches-would he eat sausages? chicken drumsticks? a little rice salad with peppers and that kind of thing in? I used to do my eldest a combination of things like rice salads\hummus+dips.that kind of thing.
having seen a nutritionist about what my baby eats (nothing at all some days-yesterday she ate 2 slices of banana and a handful of nuts and took one bite out of a corner of a slice of bread and 4 large strawberries and had a bottle at bed time)anyway-upshot of this is-they need to eat only 2 'good' meals a day,the third is just back up-you probably need to knock the crisps on the head though as my baby would eat nothing but frazzles and mini eggs if we let her...

M44 - food is cooked at another local school and brought in, they cannot guarantee it contamination free, even the jacket potatoes.

Sleepless - I'm always wary about sausages and stuff like that as food sits in classroom, its not cool at all. Not sure if he would eat chicken drumstick - worth trying though if not going to get food poisoning from it being left in warm room lol!!!

I think half the problem is he can't be bothered and if he had his way wouldn't bother with lunch at all.

Thank you for suggestions

If you get him an insulated lunchbox and put a carton of frozen juice in it, it'll keep cool til lunchtime.

Another thing to think about is making sure he has a good breakfast, then a good early tea when he gets home, then supper at bed time and stop worrying about what he does or does not eat at school. There are much more interesting things to do at lunchtime at school than eat lunch - particularly in the summer!

Thats an idea, frozen juice - thanks for that never considered it before! He does have a good breakfast, that is one thing I can guarantee he will eat.

There is always something to worry about lol

I agree, there is always something to worry about, but if you can, try to stop worrying about this one. It won't hurt him not to eat at lunchtime. Honestly.

or you could get a food flask and make him hot lunches-food he can eat. DD takes thick soup in hers, pasta dishes, rice etc with meat in and has never had food poisoning!You could send in hatever he can eat! Thye are great as thye have a wide neck so they can eat straight from them!

TBH, if you are giving him sandwiches with GF bread, I can't blame him. I've been GF for 11 years now, and the only way I can have a sandwich is with GF pitta bread.

How about making mini quiches, potato salad, ham rollups (roll sandwich ham up with cheese and mayo or other combinations), sausage rolls, chipolatas, cold new potatos, rice with tuna/chicken and sweetcorn (freeze the rice and sweetcorn in portions in sandwich bags then you just need to add meat and dressing each time).

A lunchbag with a carton of frozen juice or a freezer block will stay plenty cold enough till lunchtime.

M44 - even at age 5 this would be acceptible? Think he would like that )

CMOT - I make him bread from a book I have and he does eat it, actually it doesn't taste too bad. I agree the brought or prescription GF bread is foul. Thank you for all suggestions I am never sure what will keep in lunchbox but will definately go for a frozen juice carton.

My ds took hot food in a flask from age 4. He was too slow eating sandwiches and would miss playing after lunch. Lots of children of this age can eat rice or pasta much faster than a sandwich lunch. He used to need help getting his flask open but school was ok with this.

I live in a country where we have 45 degrees (oC) in the day and 30 at night. Food left out in this heat does not go off in 4-5 hours (except fresh dairy, cheese is fine). If you are making him lunch in the morning and he is eating it at 12-1pm, it is very unlikely that chicken or cold meat (but yes mayonnaise -fresh dairy)will go off. I routinely leave cooked dishes out all afternoon (as not to put hem straight into the fridge) with no problems whatever. I also take sandwiches to work withouy any thermal bag and have never been ill.

I think the invention of the fridge has muddled our expections a lot.

But lots of sympathy anyway, I'm a diabetic and i understand how difficult it can be to eat heathily easily, cheaply and cheerfully. Boredom soon sets in.

Same problem here. DD is wheat/G F. eats plenty of breakfast. for lunch only 2 crackers with marmite and whatever GF biscuit/cake I put in. I'm cruel and flatly refuse to let her have crisps every day.
I've given up trying to get her to eat anything else at lunchtimes. She just won't. She also never eats the fruit I put in although I do every day.
She rarely eats much for tea either. It is a huge struggle.
Sympathies.

Ladyjulia - am not sure school will be willing to open a flask but I will enquire.

Riven - school not supportive if it involves them lol Sadly school with own kitchen we tried to get him into we were number 13 on the waiting list!

Catitain - thank you for your advice, my mother is always paranoid about food and therefore so am I, never really sure what is 'safe' with regards to leaving food out.

It REALLY doesn't matter if he doesn't eat much lunch - honestly!