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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:
Teddybeau1988 · 30/08/2014 19:17

This is the 'Wednesday roast' from DDs school. They are ravenous when they get home.

School dinners through laziness.....
Itsjustmeagain · 30/08/2014 19:25

Mine have school dinners but are hungry when they get home - they always have main meal at home. From what I have seen the school meals are probably 2 thirds or less what they would have as a portion at home - and they are all like rakes so not exactly overfed.

BsshBosh · 30/08/2014 19:26

I give a snacky dinner to my 6yo DD and have done since she started school lunches in reception. She never comes home hungry (doesn't even have post-school snacks) and seems happy with the falafals or sandwiches and veg/salad plus fruit for pudding I give her for dinner (even on swimming and gym nights). She says she eats all her school lunch and I've eaten there and the portions are good.

But her friends have larger appetites and can't cope with no post-school snacks and only a snacky dinner.

So it obviously depends on your child.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/08/2014 19:27

Two carrot pieces Shock

My rabbits eat more than that.

dibdobs · 30/08/2014 19:29

I was til recently a dinner lady but the portions were small especially for the older ones, i would still have to cook at dinner time as well.

EmeraldLion · 30/08/2014 19:31

I let ds1 have school dinners last year one day a week, because he enjoyed them. But I still cooked a proper meal that night.

I wouldn't let him have more than that due to inconsistent monitoring and some dubious choices from ds1. One days menus is sausages, chicken breast, mash, garlic bread, chips,peas, broccoli, beans and the kids can choose the combination. Ds1 came home one day and told me he'd chosen the mash, chips and garlic bread, which the servers plated up and didn't bat an eye at. So three carbs on the plate, no protein or veg to be seen.

I let him have them on a Friday as a treat, no more though.

EmeraldLion · 30/08/2014 19:33

No more as in, no more days.

Ds2 is starting full time, so they can both now have their Friday school dinners and I make sure Friday night dinner is a plate of protein and veg.

Nonie241419 · 30/08/2014 19:45

Mine just have snacky teas on the days they have school dinners (my 2 work days) but I like to eat a hot meal together with them on the other days, so they have packed lunches those days.

MrsBungle · 30/08/2014 19:55

My god teddy I'd be complaining big time if that was our school dinner! That's nothing like ours!

Teddybeau1988 · 30/08/2014 20:01

It costs £2.10 a day too.

Sportsday they were all given a packed lunch that consisted of:
One slice of bread folded over a sprinkle of grated cheese

2 cucumber sticks

1/4 orange

A biscuit and a cup of water.

DH was outraged at how pitiful it was. ( although at our school packed lunch children are separated from school dinners to eat. Being a packed lunch would mean dd is sat on her own)

erin99 · 30/08/2014 20:20

Quite often there are at least as many calories in a sandwich type meal as a main meal anyway. Mine usually get a 'snacky' tea on school dinner days, often hot in winter but beans on toast sort of thing.

hamptoncourt · 30/08/2014 20:28

School dinners at DC primary were very similar in size to what teddy posted. I am sure it is pretty common for them to be that microscopic. It's all put out to tender and the lowest bid wins - go figure!

MollyHooper · 30/08/2014 20:30

Shock Teddy, you know it's bad when the meat can hide under the Yorkshire pudding.

That certainly is a sorry little lunch, even the biscuit looks sad.

trinitybleu · 30/08/2014 20:44

My DD sometimes says she has been up for 2nds, so altho the initial portion might be smaller, there's more available if they want it.

Mind you, she eats breakfast biscuits at home, then toast / cereal at breakfast club, piece of fruit and a biscuit or cake bar at break, hot 2 course school lunch, sandwich / wrap / crumpets / jacket + beans with veg sticks at after school club and then dinner and pud at home. Plus milk at bedtime. She's 7 and skinny as a rake. Grin

Thenapoleonofcrime · 30/08/2014 20:53

I gave up on school dinners for one of mine as she just ate the carbs and the pudding, so rice and then a giant biscuit covered in smarties.

One slice of bread folded over a sprinkle of grated cheese, 2 cucumber sticks, 1/4 orange, A biscuit and a cup of water

However, she doesn't get more than the above for school dinners, perhaps 2 slices of bread if hungry, but no biscuit, just a sandwich, veggies and a piece of fruit that comes back uneaten.

Some children just don't want to eat a lot at lunch and would prefer to spend the time playing, so for these children, school dinners are a waste. For my other child, who eats the whole meal plus a pudding (yog, fruit) and won't have the stodgy pudding, they are excellent.

Droflove · 31/08/2014 17:56

Only if the school dinners are nutritious. I wouldnt expect they are and the kids may just eat the chips for example (fine once in a blue moon but not most days). At least you can ensure they get and hopefully eat proper food in the meals at home.

Flossiex2 · 31/08/2014 18:01

My dc like 'cold tea' after school dinners ie sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, biscuit and it's easy for me on days I am working.

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