To not allow my dds to have packed lunches?

[Dancergirl]

My 2 younger dds are 11 and nearly 7. They are fussy-ish eaters especially the 11 year old.

However I have always insisted on school dinners because:

-I can't face making packed lunches day in day out for years on end

-I think it's good for fussy eaters in the long run to be exposed to different types of food rather than a limited choice in their lunch box

The school has recently changed their supplier to one where the food is better quality and cooked fresh. They didn't mind (too much) the old food, however they really don't like the new food.

There is a fairly low take up on school meals at the school, not for financial reasons but there seem to be a lot of fussy eaters who don't like the school food.

So am I being mean on insisting on school lunches? My thinking is - there is a perfectly fine, freshly cooked meal available, I don't see the need to make a packed lunch. I also cook in the evening.

AIBU?

Don't we all pay for food our children don't eat? If the advice given is to allow fussy eaters to have the foods they will eat but 'make others available' then a lot of the time that 'available' food won't be eaten surely?

OP - do whatever suits you and your family. If it makes you feel any better, I probably only ate lunch about 1 day in five when I was at school (whether it was packed lunch or school dinners) and I was never 'too hungry to learn' or passing out by hometime. I just wasn't that bothered about food and didn't want to waste time eating, so I didn't and there was nothing my parents could have done to change that short of coming to school at lunch time and forcing me. I'm sure you will spot if your two are suffering for your decision, and then you can adjust your stance as necessary.

Our school brought ts meals in house a few years ago and they are freshly cooked and nutricious and I'm often told "well its not as good as Richards" when I cook. So ignore all the people banging on about how dreadful your school lunches are I don't think they noticed the bit in your OP where you said the meals have recently started being cooked freshly inhouse.

Its really not a big deal - if she's that fussy and she not going to eat most of whatever is given her then do what works for you. I don't get all the handwringing about dreadful parents who find making packed lunches so boring it makes them want to poke themselves in the eye with a fork.

If a cheese or marmite sandwich everyday is acceptable then so is a jacket potato with cheese.