Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think its a bit tight when parents count a school dinner as THE main meal of the day

468 replies

MariahScarey · 16/12/2012 12:34

all other things being equal (money activities etc)

have a colleague who makes her kids have sandwiches for tea " as they eat at school"

they have money, they can cook - is this laziness?
I know they wont starve or out, but I wouldnt count a tiny school meal that is then burned off as a main meal.

USUAL DISCLAIMERS

Yes there are worse things to worry to about
YEs its none of my business
Yes I am judging

OP posts:
Hobbitation · 18/12/2012 21:39

It varies though, Kingsmill 50/50 contains 0.4g of salt per slice.

Gilberte · 18/12/2012 21:42

"I'd like to ask of the parents that do a sandwich tea for their kids is this meal the same for everyone in the family? Do you not all sit down and have dinner together?"

Well mine are only 2 and 5 so they are in bed by 6.30/7 so I tend to sit them down to eat at 4.30/5 (any later and they are much too tired to eat anything).

I usually have a slice or two of toast with them or a bit of pasta if that's what they are having. Once they are in bed I will either cook for me and DH but if it's a day I've been at work and am too tired sometimes I'll just have some cereal and fruit or a sandwich. I do cook a family meal at lunchtime at weekends which we all eat together.

To be honest it's not enjoyable eating with young kids as after 5 minutes they are always "finished" and wanting to get down and play or sitting their playing or picking which I find stressful. You can't really take time over your own meal.

Christmas Dinner will be over in about ten minutes flat I imagine.

Wallison · 18/12/2012 21:43

I wish my son would be happy with soup and sandwiches.

He has school dinners, then also a 'proper' meal at night, either with me or at the childminder's when he's there. Very often he'll want more food at home even when he's eaten at the childminder's. And he has a cooked breakfast (porridge) every day as well.

He just basically eats all bloody day! Skinny as anything though.

TreadOnTheCracks · 18/12/2012 21:52

Gilberte, we eat as a family as often as posssible, I really enjoy it and think it's important. 2 nights a week it isn't possible as after school activities get in the way, with DH not home until 5.45.

When they have a sandwich type tea I try to sit and have a cup of tea and an apple with them.

Mine are fairly young, 5 and 7, so like you, bed times also need to be considered.

freddiefrog · 18/12/2012 21:53

I'd like to ask of the parents that do a sandwich tea for their kids is this meal the same for everyone in the family? Do you not all sit down and have dinner together?

Most of the time my 2 have packed lunch and then we eat together in the evenings.

On the days they do have school dinners, it's because there's something on in the evening and there's not enough time before for a proper dinner or too late after (DD2 has Beavers, DD1 karate, etc) so it's easier for them to have a school dinner then a sandwich/beans on toast for tea, then I'll cook for DH and I much later when they've gone to bed

Gilberte · 18/12/2012 22:02

"I'd like to ask of the parents that do a sandwich tea for their kids is this meal the same for everyone in the family? Do you not all sit down and have dinner together?" This was asked by singledadof2 not me! I just responded.

But interesting to hear others responses too.

Kendodd · 18/12/2012 22:08

At the weekend we have a large lunch all together. Then, yes, we all have something light in the evening. The DCs eat at about 5pm, then go to bed at 7 and 7.30, we eat at about 8pm.

Lunch at the weekend is usually the only meal we all eat together. This will change as they get older and can stay up longer, we'll pull our mealtime back to about 6.15pm once they are all staying up until at least 8pm.

Hobbitation · 18/12/2012 22:09

Good, some sensible answers at last.

TreadOnTheCracks · 18/12/2012 22:13

Sorry Gilberte - I did realise that after I had posted Blush

TreadOnTheCracks · 18/12/2012 22:14

Hobb - yes this has turned out to be quite an interesting thread.

IneedAsockamnesty · 18/12/2012 22:18

I'd like to ask of the parents that do a sandwich tea for their kids is this meal the same for everyone in the family? Do you not all sit down and have dinner together?

Did some one make a rule saying sandwiches must not be eaten at a table surrounded by other sandwich eaters? Do I need to start being covert about my liking for mackerel rolls?

TreadOnTheCracks · 18/12/2012 22:20

Sock if I were you I'd keep very quiet about that - sound like a whole other thread! Wink

IneedAsockamnesty · 18/12/2012 22:22

Xmas Grin they are just as nice on toast. Just don't tell anyone

TreadOnTheCracks · 18/12/2012 22:23

I'm going to take your word for that.

singledadof2 · 18/12/2012 22:28

Mackerel Rolls.......( Barf!) Wink

No there's no rule about ALL family members sitting around a table eating sandwiches. I guess it's how we are all raised differently.
I was brought up by my grandparents and at tea time it was something that would block your arteries, a steaming mug of tea and a plate full of bread in the middle of the table. Despite having already eaten a hot school dinner every day and started off the day with a large bowl of porridge.

JenaiMathis · 18/12/2012 22:34

Tinned mackerel on toast is one of ds's favourites. It's inexpensive, easy and stupidly good for you.

Mominatrix · 18/12/2012 22:41

Hobbit, one of the factors you have listed as a cause of the increase in obesity is the decreasing level of cooking skills of the general public - don't you see that this sandwich culture is contributing to this?

GreatCongas · 18/12/2012 23:08

The crap that people have come out with on this thread is astounding

HouseOfTinsel · 18/12/2012 23:16

YANBU in that the term 'hot meal' at school is pretty meaningless.

Because

  • A not meal is not necessarily more nutritional than a cold one
  • The child may have eaten bugger all of the hot meal that the school has kindly provided
IneedAsockamnesty · 18/12/2012 23:52

Singledad.

I will actually fight you to the death to defend the honor of my mackerel rolls.

Hobbitation · 19/12/2012 00:03

Hobbit, one of the factors you have listed as a cause of the increase in obesity is the decreasing level of cooking skills of the general public - don't you see that this sandwich culture is contributing to this?

Yes, but you can make a sandwich for your kids without contributing to "the sandwich culture". I can cook, as can many people on this thread who occasionally serve sandwiches, or another light meal for their kids (and themselves) in the evening.

Aren't parents who give their children a packed lunch every day contributing more to "the sandwich culture"?

Not that I am trying to criticise people for choosing packed lunches, just using it as a point of argument.

verylittlecarrot · 19/12/2012 00:14

Mumsnet and food threads often make me feel like I've wandered into a parallel universe.

I feed my children. They eat food. They like food. Almost every type imaginable. They will try anything. Sometimes I make marvellous food. Other times it is just stuff on a plate. They really like sweets. They wish I gave them more sweets. We always eat meals together at the table, without fail.

They don't go to bed hungry. They are healthy. They are quite slim children.

What else is there to get angsty about?

FellatioNelson · 19/12/2012 04:43

Hear, hear very. Smile

flowerytaleofNewYork · 19/12/2012 06:47

"I'd like to ask of the parents that do a sandwich tea for their kids is this meal the same for everyone in the family? Do you not all sit down and have dinner together?"

Mine eat at 5-5.30 and go to bed by 7.30. DH usually gets home at 8.30, so no, during the week we can't all sit down and have dinner together.

At weekends we usually have a cooked meal altogether at lunchtime at least once, and eat whatever meal we have at lunchtime together anyway, hot or cold.

exoticfruits · 19/12/2012 08:00

Exactly, verylittlecarrot. People fuss so much about it, they have to judge everyone else to justify their own method.
Mine took a packed lunch because dinners were not good so we had a meal in the evening. DH didn't get home until 7.15ish and so we only ate together at weekends.
One school that I worked at had wonderful meals, all locally sourced and most of the staff had them and made them the main meal. If my DCs had gone there they would have had a meal at school and tea at home.
There is a lot of fuss- do what suits you and don't bother about others- it is possible to have 2 cooked meals and it be unhealthy!