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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if you pay adult price then you should get an adult portion?

25 replies

PenguinBear · 27/01/2014 19:34

I am happy to accept IABU if I am but would like opinions please!

I work in a school and for ease, often have a school dinner. I pay more than the children (I've been told all I'm paying extra is the VAT) but I get the same portion as the children in my class who are 4!

The dinner is all portioned out and I get served the same as them. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between my plate and theirs if they were next to each other.

AIBU to be annoyed by this? I am not sure how I could ask for more without sounding like a pig but I know there are leftovers as I see them eating them at the end of serving the children when I take my plate back!

Others schools I've been in always give the staff a bigger portion and I don't know why ours doesn't!

OP posts:
maddy68 · 27/01/2014 19:37

Our school is exactly the same. The price is per portion not size of portion. Staff pay extra because they are not vat free like the children

PrincessWellington · 27/01/2014 19:38

Is the difference in price 17.5%? If so YABU. Extra portions aside, why should you get extra? My 10 year old could eat as much as an adult too

Bartman · 27/01/2014 19:39

How's life back in 2010?

PrincessWellington · 27/01/2014 19:42

Ok 20%, I'm an optimist.

marvindarvin · 27/01/2014 19:49

that used to be the same at my mum's school (works in the admin there)

you're paying for the portion plus VAT, so should get the same size portion as the kids. it's not an "adult portion".

(unless your school has different rules/prices for adult portions.)

Coconutty · 27/01/2014 19:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AspieLass · 27/01/2014 19:52

VAT? We the staff had VAT abolished on the grounds that the resturant is onsite. You need to investigate that.

However, lets face it, no where else are you going to get a wholesome cooked meal for £1.80 are you? and if you really need to quibble over a couple of pence for a cooked dinner, man up and buy a double portion.

splasheeny · 27/01/2014 19:53

Is the amount you are getting enough to not leave you hungry?

You are paying the same amount plus vat, so there isn't any reason for you to have a bigger portion. I am assuming the food is subsidised so you are paying very litte.

How much do you pay and what do you get?

missymarmite · 27/01/2014 19:53

My 10 yo complains that portions aren't enough at his primary ( he is stick thin but eats like a horse ). So yanbu that portion sizes are ridiculous, but YABU because the estra you pay is for vat not portion size.

LaGuardia · 27/01/2014 19:59

Blimey, I wouldn't pay a penny to eat that muck Confused

Original poster
PenguinBear · 27/01/2014 20:00

I pay £2.75 which isn't bad but it does feel a bit of a rip off when for that price you get: a tiny portion of lasagne (10cm x 10cm) portion, a quarter of a slice of bread as 'garlic bread' and a few carrots. Pudding is either a spoonful of yogurt or whatever hot pudding is that day. Delicious but again, a tiny portion! Now I know this is more than enough for a 4 year old but not for a fully grown adult to keep them going for 7 hours!

OP posts:
teacher123 · 27/01/2014 20:03

Schools really differ. In my last job you could go back for seconds and no one batted an eyelid, it was a secondary boys school though and they used to get through bread and butter and fruit like locusts. My new school (prep girls) is very different, you get your portion and that's it. However they are bigger portions than the children, and I do sometimes ask for an extra potato if I'm starving!

BellBookandCandle · 27/01/2014 20:05

Just take sandwiches - problem solved.

splasheeny · 27/01/2014 20:08

That's a pretty good price. At my work canteen, just a main and no side is more than that, and the portions aren't huge either. If you are unhappy maybe bring your own food in.

Are other staff happy with the portions?

Original poster
PenguinBear · 27/01/2014 20:14

I am the only one who has them!

I am not great with packed lunches, I never really know what to have that will fill me up enough!

OP posts:
QueenofLouisiana · 27/01/2014 20:42

The children pay £2.20, we pay £3.32 (nope, not sure why). There is a slight difference, but not that much.

tilliebob · 27/01/2014 20:45

We had the opposite problem - at my last school the cook would heap food on your plate - if I'd eaten it all, I've had dozed off in my class mid afternoon Wink. We paid a pound more than the kids did. That's standard regional rate for here.

TeacupDrama · 27/01/2014 20:51

2,20 plus VAT is 2.64 so that is more than adding VAT

TeacupDrama · 27/01/2014 20:51

you are actually paying 50% more which is quite a lot more

ApocalypseMeow · 27/01/2014 20:52

At our school adults pay the same as the children and the adults are given bigger portions than the children. The portions given to the younger kids are tiny and the bigger kids don't get much more so wouldn't be enough to fill up an adult. We do have a lovely kitchen manager though and all the kitchen staff are friendly with the teaching staff. Can see you might feel awkward asking for more though.

TeacupDrama · 27/01/2014 20:53

if OP pays 2.75 the children should be paying 2.30 if it is just VAT

CalamitouslyWrong · 27/01/2014 20:53

At dS2's school the staff pay more, but they also get a bigger portion served on an actual plate (rather than one of those school dinner trays).

ComposHat · 27/01/2014 23:00

Have you not thought about asking the dinner lady for abigger portportion?

Pipbin · 27/01/2014 23:15

We pay £3.32 too. Although we do get more than the children what really annoys me is that the men get twice as much! They get two pieces of fish, women get one for example.

What is going to happen in September when all KS1 and EYFS get free school meals?

Quinteszilla · 27/01/2014 23:18

Why dont you bring a fruit, like an apple or banana to add to your meal?

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