To want this stopped?!

[Notasperfectasallothermners]

Dd started secondary school in September. Loves it, really settled well - no worries regarding peers /work etc. However, had an issue with food tech last week where dd (vegi entire life) was given pre measured out ingredients to make biscuits, as dd didnt know what lard was she used it and brought the biscuits home. All dc sat and ate them, will admit they were nice! Until she mentioned lard and Googled it herself. Not a happy dd! Told her things happen and not to worry, not lovely to drop down in a heap this once sort of thing.
Rang the school to remind them she is vegi etc, mistakes happen - don't expect head on a platter etc...
Then yesterday she gets home, salad wrap for lunch, server wearing gloves to handle ingredients makes hers - after handling ham to the previous dc in the line! Rang school again, they will be speaking to the caterers today. Fed up.

[ShastaTrinity]

Actually a vegetarian is psychologically allergic to meat, as in eating it, even accidentally goes against everything that you stand for & hurts your soul.

and this is why I love MN. You can't make that up.

[Bluedoglead]

What brand of lard was it ?

I call cookeen lard, for example, but it’s veg fat.

[Idontdowindows]

As a meat-eater I think you are not being unreasonable.

There have been situations where I have shared my cucumbers and cheese and assorted fruits with vegetarians and I've always asked if they minded that it had been in the lunchbox with meat.

It doesn't matter WHY your daughter doesn't eat meat. It matters that she doesn't and it's not unreasonable to expect caterers to have at least a basic understanding of not handling vegetables after handing meats.

[HolyShet]

A 12 year old child cannot make a "choice" whether or not to be Muslim or Jewish.

I believe the views and choices of vegetarians should be respected (I am a vegetarian myself, have been since I was 6) but to compare the two is just silly. And, tbh makes vegetarians seem silly.

[mustbemad17]

I'm honestly baffled by the idea that being a vegetarian & following a religion isn't on the same track. If a religion isn't a moral belief then wtf is it??

[ReanimatedSGB]

Bear in mind that school catering staff are usually overworked and underpaid. They probably do their best to cater to serious food allergies, but it's a bit much to expect them to have a mental database of every kid who is being encouraged to be a faddy attention-seeker by their parents.

If 's a mega big deal, put your DC on packed lunches (if you can manage to get over the fact that they might a) have to SIT NEXT TO someone eating meat and b) probably want to swap food with their mates at some point.)

[HolyShet]

Christianity though, has few rules over what you can and can't consume. And those there are (no booze for methodists, no meat on fridays) are matters of social conduct not scripture.

But all the school needs to do is get some tongs.

[Olga81]

What brand of lard was it ?

I call cookeen lard, for example, but it’s veg fat.

I was thinking this, I know some people call trex lard but it's vegetable fat and it seems far more likely that it's something that would be used to make biscuits.

I happily eat meat, chips cooked in lard, but in a biscuit ...

[londonista]

Side issue, but has anyone else received a letter from school caterer asking for proof about their child's dietary requirements. Our son has a sesame allergy, so we have got the hospital report which I've sent in. When I spoke to the school cook about it, he said they were getting a lot of requests from parents about what their children won't eat. So they need to know what processes and utensils they absolutely had to keep separate for medical reasons, and everything else they would "do their best".

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

I believe the views and choices of vegetarians should be respected (I am a vegetarian myself, have been since I was 6) but to compare the two is just silly. And, tbh makes vegetarians seem silly

It is indeed sad that children are inculcated into religion.

However, if Child A says 'I cannot eat something that has touched the flesh of a pig because it is not kosher or is haram' and child B says 'I have made the free choice to be a vegetarian, I cannot eat something that has touched pig meat' then both should be considered equally.

Religion should have no higher status.

[PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks]

I think 12 is exactly the age at which many children start making religious choices. My friend became Christian at 12, I became pagan at 12.

[Thymeout]

At my school, Orthodox Jewish pupils brought their own sandwiches because it wasn't a kosher kitchen.

If your dd feels so strongly about cross contamination, she should make her own packed lunch. It's unreasonable to expect a mass catering outlet to ask servers to change gloves just to accommodate her. Plus she has no idea what's going on behind the scenes.

[HolyShet]

must be - the difference is "faith"

[taskmaster]

Actually a vegetarian is psychologically allergic to meat, as in eating it, even accidentally goes against everything that you stand for & hurts your soul. My own DD had nightmares for months after a similar incident happened to her

Christ almighty what rot! No wonder your poor kid had nightmares if that is the bullshit you feed her. Why would you do that to a child, its horrible?

[RunningOutOfCharge]

psychologically allergic

And.... it would hurt their soul..... this is hilarious!!!

Those behind the scenes working won't give a toss about cross contamination with a bit of ham or chicken and salad! ( yes, dd worked at a sandwich place, veggie option is laughed at and not taken at all seriously)

[Dazedandconfuzzled]

Of course the lard thing is wrong but I do think you need to get her to advocate for herself. If she is choosing to be vegetarian then she needs to be able to point out when something is wrong, she's at secondary school now and will be starting to do a lot more things by herself.
I don't believe that servers should change gloves although tongs would be a much safer option in terms of cross contamination. I have lots of veggie friends and have never had any of them complain about food being near meat etc. I didn't realise it was a thing tbh.

[mustbemad17]

Following a religion is a choice. You can lace it up however you want Holy but a person not following a religion isn't going to have an allergic reaction. Following a food lifestyle, also a choice.
Granted a child's choice is overshadowed by their parents but it still stands. If we are going to only consider being careful about cross contamination for allergies, then religious belief should be treated the same way as moral belief

[ShastaTrinity]

has anyone else received a letter from school caterer asking for proof about their child's dietary requirements.

yes, we did. There's also lists and very strict process for every child with a food allergy which is exactly what you can expect. Then there's good will to try to accommodate choices when possible, but it would be unreasonable to ask for any more than that.

Too many fussy eaters distract from the critical requirement for medical reasons.

[ChickenPaws]

This type of behaviour can contribute towards people not taking genuine allergies safely.

If she’s serious about being a veggie then she needs to learn about how to identify unwanted ingredients in her foods.

[ItWentInMyEye]

YANBU I've had issues with my DDs school doing similar things.

[helenoftroyville]

Complaining about someone touching ham and then touching her food will make you look crazy and nobody will take you seriously.

Honestly, calm down.

[Thiscantreallybehappening]

I think this is really difficult.

Was the person serving your DD aware that she was vegetarian? or did they think she just wanted a salad wrap. We are not vegetarians but quite often will just have a salad wrap/sandwich.

If the canteen is anything like my DC's school they have to service hundreds of children in a time limited window and if they had to change gloves, go into dietary wishes for every child it would mean other children wouldn't get their food in the time.

I am sure, like my DCs school, that children that have allergies are catered for separately but the canteen will be aware who those children are and what they can or cannot eat.

If your DD feels very strongly about this then maybe you should ask the school if she can be included in this group of children. Or maybe you should provide a packed lunch for her then there won't be any confusion.

[Ilovetolurk]

why should she be forced to eat any ham juice just because some pig headed lazy caterer can’t be arse to swap gloves

Ham juice? Like orange juice?

No, not really

[Sprinklestar]

Well I’m a veggie and would never eat anything that had ham juice or whatever on it. It’s ignorance about other people’s beliefs like this that causes problems in the first place.

The caterers should definitely know better anyway in terms of cross contamination.

Very poor from the school and you can bet your life they’d have taken it seriously had this been for religious reasons...

[taskmaster]

If your DD feels very strongly about this then maybe you should ask the school if she can be included in this group of children

No, do not ask for her to be included with the children who have actual allergies