To think that this primary school lunch menu is not up to scratch?

[Fedupofplaystation]

Menu for this week.

Monday: Jacket potato with beans and/or cheese. Chocolate Mousse.

Tuesday: Sausage, mash and carrots. Pineapple upside down cake.

Wednesday: Meat/quorn pie, potatoes, peas. Sago pudding.

Thursday: Meatballs with Jamie's tomato sauce, pasta and cheese. Mixed berry crumble and custard.

Friday: Breaded chicken goujons, new potatoes, corn cobettes. Ice cream.

To me there doesn't seem to be much veg on offer and the meals seem a little unadventurous. Am I being too fussy/expecting too much?

The menu is altered slightly each week, but the above is fairly representative of a typical week.

We need a total change in attitude to childrens' eating in the UK.

Why does school food have to be so unadventurous and unhealthy? Why is "one" portion of veg acceptable? The five a day notion is an absolute bare minimum and many other countries have seven a day. Most kids eat cereal for breakfast. The yoghurts my kids are offered at lunch are sugary low fat crap.

The kids with parents who don't know any better are missing a chance to eat something decent and learn there is more than processed meat and sugar as a food choice.

Looks similar to my son's independent school lunch menu - I think its great, I know my somewhat-picky son would eat nearly all of that and not be hungry in the afternoon, or miserable at lunchtime like I was as a child. However there's a lot of frothing there about how it should be much better.

Oh goodness - just logged on to see if they did ever change my son's school menu and it really has gone all fancy - what on earth is a Courgette, Aubergine and Halloumi Galette?

I guess he fills up on the sandwiches and biscuits they still give at after school club

I wouldn't like it. Just because it's better than what was served in the past doesn't mean it should be accepted.

Sounds fine. They could throw in a salad bar or more veg but otherwise ok.

I wasn't sure about the Jamie 's tomato sauce as that sounds like a jar unless they are just following a recipe from someone called Jamie. OtOther than that meals sound OK.

It doesn't sound great to me. I'm not overly impressed with our school some days but there is always a meat, veggie and jacket potato/sandwich option. There is also 3 options for pudding, a "proper" pudding, fruit or Yeo valley yoghurt. And always 2 types of veg with the meal plus a salad bar.

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/the-quickest-tomato-sauce/#qwp1tFOtJJOaErl9.97

It seems OK to me, not brilliant, but fine.

I would say as well that it is not about the actual food so much, as how it is cooked and the quality of the ingredients. DD gets excellent food prepared on the premises, but it is obviously aimed at young children - I don't think it needs to be massively adventurous, just nicely varied. Though I am gratified by how much salad and fruit is served.

I can't look at it online, so can't reproduce it in full here, but what I remember of DD's this week it was:

Lasagne, salad. Fruit
Spelt fingers with something - possibly tomato and roast vegetable sauce, salad. Fruit.
Can't remember what was on Wednesday
Vegetable risotto. Ice cream
Fish in breadcrumbs with potato salad and carrots. Fruit

It's fine. Only Thursday appears to be lacking in vegetables (there are some each other day), but it does have a tomato sauce so it's not like your DC will be starved of minerals.

It's standard school fare. What are you expecting them to serve on a low budget?

It's all fairly starchy veg options. How much do they cost?

It's Ok, I suppose, but how expensive is it?

We have a rolling 3 week menu here in our state primary, £2.10 a day, this week is

Monday - Mediterranean vegetable pasta bake with green beans
veg - Potato topped vegetable bean pie with carrot and swede
Gingerbread with poached pear slices

Tues - Organic beef burger with tomato salsa in a bun with coleslaw
and mixed salad
v Homemade bean burger with tomato in a bun with coleslaw and mixed salad
Eves pudding with custard

Wed - Roast turkey and stuffing, roast potatoes, spring cabbage and gravy
v Cauliflower and broccoli cheese gratin with roast potatoes and sliced carrots
Chocolate cracknel

Thurs - Chicken korma curry with wholegrain rice and mixed vegetables
v Cheese and spinach cannelloni with broccoli florets and garlic bread
Fruit cookie and glass of milk

Friday - Baked white fish with parsley sauce with jacket wedges and garden peas
v Quorn sausage and tomato roll with jacket wedges and baked beans
v Homemade brownie

So usually 2 veg/salad, plus there is always salad and bread available too, plus an alternative dessert (fruit, cheese and crackers).

I think it's generally fine, and similar to the menu at my kids independent primary. Is all the food freshly prepared on the premises? (ours is). If so I think it's reasonable. At our school there is always a lot of very appealing-looking fresh fruit available at dessert time.

I do agree about the veg though - there could be an additional serving of veg at each meal.