to think that this is a pretty shocking school dinner?

[anchovies]

Today my boys had Caribbean style chicken with spaghetti hoops and garden peas. Pink sponge and custard. Strawberry milkshake.

£1.90 a day.

Thought there must have been some sort of mistake but have just checked the published menus and that is what they had planned for today. Only other main meal was the vegetarian option which they are not allowed (again with peas and spaghetti hoops.) Could have chosen fruit for dessert.

Mentioned it earlier to my neighbour who also has children who have school dinners and she thought it was fine as "the carbohydrate is in the spaghetti hoops".

Wrote (yet another) email to our local council but am now thinking I may be wrong?

Good lord Bubbley - I'm glad I don't live in your house! My children eat very healthy food and love all sorts. We do having pudding every day though. I make them crumbles, cakes etc and they love it. I think it is a lovely home comfort. They are slim, hjealthy and happy. They do actually choose healthy things over crap most of the time, but they also love a good sugary treat. Life is all about balance.

Are you actually bubbly, Bubbleymummy?

Aaaaaahhh, I've just realised you (BM) are the same person who is bragging about their DS's academic brilliance on the "French lessons" thread.

Bubbly, this thread isn't all about you, so don't try to invent things in my post that weren't there. I didn't say cake is the only source of fat in a child's diet. You pretended I had.

Btw, if you set yourself up as Little Miss Perfect, you can't complain if people point out your errors.

I'm not the one saying I'm perfect - you are. :) All I'm saying is I don't give my kids sugary crap everyday and that it isn't an essential part of a child's diet despite some people convincing themselves that it's necessary for fat/carbohydrates/energy etc.

"bragging about their DS's academic brilliance on the "French lessons" thread"

Actually answering a direct question Olive but wow - how insecure are you that no one can talk about their child without it being considered 'bragging'?

Because you present yourself as a smug know it all.

Nope - you just choose to interpret it that way because you don't agree with my opinions and how I choose to raise my kids. By dismissing it as 'smug' or 'perfect' you don't have to accept that maybe, just maybe, I might have a point.

Not saying you do not have a point, but it the style in which you deliver them that grates on people.

Meh - I get bored trying to polite all the time when I'm getting accused of starving my children or being some kind of weirdo freak for not doing what everyone else does.

Ah but by alienating others your point is lost.

I reckon I was alienated the minute I said I didn't approve of pink sponge and custard :)

Well, it is pink sponge and custard!

So, do you not approve of pink sponge and custard under any circumstances?

What high calorie/fat puddings do you give your children?

Bubbleyummy, you said "No one NEEDS cake".

You're right. No one needs wine, pretty shoes or ice cream either but what a sad and joyless place the world would be without pleasure.

Reading your posts brings my mood down. It's like the joy is being sucked out of it.

I get that you allow an occasional treat (two oats and blueberry) but I prefer for my kids to be relaxed around food and to find the pleasure in it be it strawberries or gingernuts. You sound really strict and you make my bum clench in anxiety.

I do. I totally need cake.

" (two oats and blueberry) "

See, there you go with the assumptions again. FWIW oats and blueberries are pretty common foods in this house - are they rare enough to be considered 'treats' in yours?

Yes, I said no one NEEDS cake in response to the many posters saying it was an essential part of their child's diet for fat/carbohydrate/sugar/energy which simply isn't true. If you want to eat it because you enjoy it - fine. If you want your child to eat it - fine but at least be aware that there are healthy alternatives that provide fat/carbohydrates/sugar and your child does not NEED sponge cake every day for dessert to survive.

Also, do not assume that my children and I are not relaxed about food. Some people probably wouldn't like that I allow my children to snack between meals or that I don't strictly limit portion size etc. To them that would be too relaxed an attitude. We also take great pleasure in eating lots of different things - they just don't all happen to have sugar in them.

Because it's slightly silly and fun and might make the likes of my fusspot DD2 try the Caribbean chicken because she likes spaghetti hoops.
Lots of worthy changes have been made to our school menu (like putting broccoli in the macaroni cheese) and now she'll eat one meal a week.

Schools worst crime ever was serving plain pasta, why, why, why! she'd never seen it without tomato sauce, you can sneak all sorts of veg into tomato sauce.
Now, except for spag bol, she grumbles if I put spare sausages, chicken etc in sauce.

bubbley, can we have some actual examples of high energy/ high fat food that you might give your children?

Bubbley- I always have oats and fruit in my relaxed sponge cake filled house, not that it's any of your business.

I don't think anyone on this thread suggested sponge cake seven days a week but I think you sound waaay too strict and I stand by my bum clenching comment.

I gave examples of high fat food earlier - dairy eg yoghurt, cheese, butter, milk, nuts, avocados, some children will have meat to add into this as well.

High energy - fruit and veg throughout the day are good sources as well starting the day with a bowl of porridge which releases its energy slowly. Why are you asking? This is very easy information to find - or do you just want something else to criticise?

Clench away my dear. Funny how you get so touchy about a minor comment about what you feed your children yet you openly criticise what I feed mine. Got to love double standards... :)

Also, sweet 'pudding' at school was approved as dessert everyday by many posters which would mean 5 days a week.

I just wanted to understand what you consider to be a healthy diet.

So a high fat sweet for you would be yoghurt?

You come across as very aggressive btw, it won't help you win arguments.

In agreement with Northern and Nesta. Bubbleymummy, you're quite right - it probably is my problem. I'm sure you are a very nice person, a perfect mother etc, but there is just something about you that I really can't stand! Also, why do you keep on changing "pudding" to "dessert"?