Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School dinners through laziness.....

67 replies

Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:20

I have just forked out 38 quid for hot dinners hoping that I can get away with tea on school days! I'm thinking beans on toast or a jacket potato, hell sandwiches and cake if it's warm...if they have two courses at lunch surely that's enough at primary school? Or am I just trying to claw back half an hour after school.

OP posts:
catgirl1976 · 30/08/2014 08:22

Hell sandwiches? Shock

Original poster
Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:24

Yep plastic ham or dairy lea! My personal idea of hell but ds likes them!

OP posts:
PumpkinBones · 30/08/2014 08:24

Ds1 only ever wants a sandwich when he has had a school dinner. Ds2 starts next week, so hopefully I will cut down in cooking during the week Grin

rubyslippers · 30/08/2014 08:26

Erm don't hold your breath

School portions seem to be on the small size and both mine are starving when they come home

Happypiglet · 30/08/2014 08:27

Hmmm depends on your kids. Even in Reception school dinners although enjoyed by my lot were not big enough to mean a 'snacky' tea.... Although I count jackets with protein fillers as a 'proper tea' BTW.
Now they are late Primary school age and doing hours of sport a week I have to make a substantial tea as well as them eating school dinners....but again mine are BIG eaters....just to warn you tho...

Charitybelle · 30/08/2014 08:27

I think if the hot dinners at school are nutritious and your dc will eat them, then go for it! I'm sure I've read that it's better to have your main meal earlier in the day and eat more lightly in the evening anyway!

Original poster
Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:28

Excellent not just me! I don't want a repeat of last year fitting dinner in between beavers and football and then cooking again in the evening, plus no scrabbling in the fridge on a Monday morning. I thought I could feed the 16 mo at lunch when I finish work and move dinner later when DH finishes and small people are in bed!

OP posts:
MissDuke · 30/08/2014 08:28

Having school dinners doesn't reduce my children's appetites in the evening. To be honest, I am the same, the rare time I have a big lunch, I am still as hungry at tea time!

TantrumsAndBalloons · 30/08/2014 08:28

It depends on your children really, none if my Dcs would have been full after a sandwich and cake for dinner but for a lot of Dcs that's enough for them.
I have always wondered though- are you not cooking an evening meal for yourself anyway? Don't the Dcs just have whatever you are already cooking?

PrimalLass · 30/08/2014 08:29

No, the portion sizes are tiny. Baked potato at school = half a potato and a sprinkling of cheese.

Happypiglet · 30/08/2014 08:29

Is your eldest year 3 then, thought dinners were free for KS1 kids from Sept...

Original poster
Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:30

He's not a huge eater and there is always fruit, cheese, milk etc which he helps himself to.

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 30/08/2014 08:30

I think it depends on the set up in the school. If it's a small enough school that you have some chance of being able to communicate with the people that will supervise lunch and will therefore know if your dc doesn't eat much, then it's fine, especially in ks1.

It's all very individual though, I sometimes cover lunchtimes at school and I know some children that will eat a small jacket potato every day and refuse pudding at school dinners, and others that will eat everything they are given and it will be different each day. If you're lucky enough to have a child that eats well at school, then it will be fine.

ilovepowerhoop · 30/08/2014 08:31

my 2 still have a proper dinner even on school dinner days.

Happypiglet · 30/08/2014 08:31

And can I just suggest for your Beavers/ football/ DH issue a slow cooker.... I use mine about three times a week when dinners are split up in this way....it just stays on and I dole out relevant portions at relevant times ( well DH doles his own out obviously).....just in case school dinners don't suffice!

Original poster
Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:31

Yep he's year three, he asked before but I really couldn't afford them, different circumstances now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:32

Thanks piglet I have a slow cooker festering in a cupboard somewhere!

OP posts:
TantrumsAndBalloons · 30/08/2014 08:33

In my experience, if he is doing a lot of activities he will need to eat a bit more. Mine have football training almost every day and are always starving afterwards. They have a snack when they get home from school and then a dinner after training.

DesperatelySeekingSanity · 30/08/2014 08:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Wherediparkmybroom · 30/08/2014 08:34

I wait until later as cooking for dh anyway, leftovers become lunch for the baby. I prefer to eat without small hands in it!

OP posts:
Lizardc · 30/08/2014 14:53

My eldest has a cooked two course meal at nursery followed by a two course tea and then dinner when we get home at 6. Sadly I think school is going to mean more cooking at home, not less as he will only be getting one meal a day there :( .

WorraLiberty · 30/08/2014 14:55

See if you can go into school at lunchtime

I suspect you may be shocked at how tiny the portions are

They're small because they're designed to be a light lunch...due to the fact the kids will be running around the playground/doing PE afterwards.

MissOtisRegretsMadam · 30/08/2014 15:00

After talking to a friend who works in a school I will be putting dd on packed lunch from now on. She said portions are tiny and they are rarely like the colourful nutritious photos they give out on the leaflets.

Could you send a more filling packed lunch with pasta as a main with some chopped up salad and French bread? Then have beans on toast etc for tea.

DaisyFlowerChain · 30/08/2014 15:03

The portions are small, the children may not like the choices or leave some as too busy chatting etc. DS always had a hot meal regardless of his lunch (we swap and change dependant upon the season) so that I knew he had one decent hot meal a day.

LostTeacher · 30/08/2014 15:04

School dinners are minuscule. One fish finger and 4 chips with 10 peas? Not very filling at all.