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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at "school cafeteria" rubbish on sale

32 replies

DismayedAnnoyed · 03/03/2018 12:18

So, I ask my son last week "what did you have for lunch at school today?"

I got a long answer about how he didn't have time to join the long queue for lunch, how he had biscuits at morning break from the cafeteria and (he's on free school meals) then there's nothing left over then for lunch Hmm.

Obviously I'm annoyed at him for making bad food choices - he's 15 btw.

But why are they selling biscuits and loads of other crap? Last summer he was eating ice lollies for lunch - as they sell that s* too.

When I was at school you queued up - not usually for more than 5 minutes - then you got a main course and a warm pudding. There was no choice. It wasn't perfect - understatement of the year (spam fritters anyone?). But most of it was proper "food" of some kind. Warm pudding with custard (not a chocolate bar ffs).

Obvously my son continues to make poor choices which I've spoken to him about.

But why is the cafeteria selling this junk stuff? All this choice means that he - and his friends - are often just buying muffins, biscuits, sugary drinks and other rubbish for lunch.

I have complained to the school in the past but just get told there are healthy choices too .... my point is there shouldn't be "junk" choices for children!

OP posts:
Kazzyhoward · 03/03/2018 12:24

My son always complains that the queues are too long and that by the time they get served, there's nothing decent left. So, he's stopped going to the canteen.

As for "junk", who decides what's junk and what isn't? At his school, they used to do breakfast buns (sausage, egg or bacon), which were very popular. Now they do quorn buns, muesli etc and no-one bothers anymore, instead they stop at Greggs or McD's on the way to school, so probably making things worse rather than better. Don't forget those reports a few years ago of people passing take-outs through school fences when schools only offered "healthy" options. You have to get the mix right, you can't just ban everything you don't agree with.

Ohlellykelly · 03/03/2018 12:28

Schools are allowed to sell a small amount of junk, ie biscuits and lollies in the summer, but not muffins or say Mars bars. If the school kitchen is in house and not run by an agency they won't be as interested in making a profit, and will offer junk as well as healthy.

The main issue is school kids won't often choose the healthy option and it goes to waste.

Original poster
DismayedAnnoyed · 03/03/2018 12:29

I don't think its a question of banning things.

As I said when I was at school you were offerred one hot meal and one pudding. Which you could have with water. Everyone had their meal. Everyone sat down to eat. Nobody bought a chocolate bar or an ice lolly for lunch - because that wasn't "on sale".

I'm not really meaning the debate between mueseli or bacon (both healthy enough to me). Its just stuff thats not "lunch" stuff i.e. biscuits, sweets, chocolate bars, muffins, ice lollies, sweetened or sugar drinks etc etc etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
DismayedAnnoyed · 03/03/2018 12:29

And probably one of the reasons the queues are so bad is because it takes much more time to deliver these complicated different snacks and foods ...

I know schools differ. My son's primary school was amazing. But the secondary one - I just can't believe they offer this stuff up for "lunch".

OP posts:
SundaySalon · 03/03/2018 12:30

Is there a selection of healthy options to? My old high school used to serve crap, not even junk food that everyone liked just pizza that tasted like salty cardboard. We were allowed out of the site for lunch though and those in lower years took pack lunch. Only the bravest of students would eat there Grin. I don’t have secondary school aged DC but I was under the impression they weren’t allowed to sell ‘junk’ anymore?
YANBU if the only options are biscuits and chocolate.

Ohlellykelly · 03/03/2018 12:30

And as far as I know, the school have a responsibility to make sure that free school meals must contain something decent to eat and a drink, then a treat. Ask if this is the case at yours.

Original poster
DismayedAnnoyed · 03/03/2018 12:30

Its a private company, not in-house.

OP posts:
Ohlellykelly · 03/03/2018 12:31

Agency catering always seems to be more expensive.

TheNoseyProject · 03/03/2018 12:32

Secondary schools do seem to lag behind primaries when it comes to lunch. Our primary takes the numbers and which option (of 4) they’re having in the morning so that there is enough. Seems a simple system.

MatildaTheCat · 03/03/2018 12:32

Could you send him in with a snack for break so he has enough budget to buy a proper meal for lunch? At 15 if you are starving at break you won’t necessarily have the self control to wait/ have an apple.

DannyLaRuesBestFrock · 03/03/2018 12:34

Warm pudding and custard 5 days a week is hardly a healthy option though is it? I don't even know why they have pudding after lunch. You wouldn't have it at home after lunch.

jaseyraex · 03/03/2018 12:35

I personally think teenagers should know to make the healthier choice. They won't, but they should. As long as schools have the healthy option along with the less healthier option then there's not much that can be done. Everything in moderation is the mantra, is it not? So they won't ban everything unhealthy. Perhaps don't give your teen cash for school if you don't want him spending it on junk?

We had pretty decent food at my high school. Mostly healthy. But we had vending machines dotted around with chocolate and crisps etc in them. We could also go out for lunch. McDonald's, greggs and the local chippy were always heaving at lunch time. My mum never let me have money for school except bus fare.

Original poster
DismayedAnnoyed · 03/03/2018 12:35

apple crumble and custard still resembles real food more than a bar of milk chocolate.

OP posts:
DeathStare · 03/03/2018 12:37

I'm sorry OP but this is a problem with your DS, not the system per se.

My DCs school doesn't sell unhealthy food, and I have one DC who still spends all their lunch "money" (it's on an account) on toast at break-time. I have another DC who buys a healthy lunch. They tell me that some of their friends "sell" their lunch account money to other people for cash of a lesser value and then go to the chippy.

One way or another teenagers who don't want to have a healthy lunch will avoid it.

falsepriest · 03/03/2018 12:38

Hearty breakfast, send him on his way to make his own decisions, then nice meal with the family at dinner. No kid had their life ruined by eating a biscuit during the day. Tell him to get in the queue earlier rather than faff arse around.

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 03/03/2018 12:39

I know where my ds1 went to high school he got fsm and what happened was a certain amount was added to his dinner card every day (cash free tills system), so he could spend that daily budget how he liked. And of course being a teenager he didn't always make the best choices! I think peer pressure is a part of it, getting the hot sit down meal isn't "cool" and they just want to grab something quick so they can go and hang out with their friends. (It was the same even when I was at high school in the nineties though.)

Kpo58 · 03/03/2018 12:41

I think that it's the long queues that is the real problem. Few people want to spend half their lunchtime queuing up for food.

Booboobooboo84 · 03/03/2018 12:42

The option is there for him to eat healthy food. He is actively choosing not to. The queues in a secondary cafeteria can be long but the food wouldn’t run out like he’s saying. He’s actively choosing to eat a muffin. Some students might bring in a pack up and money for a snack hence biscuits and muffins being on sale. The staff who work there may want biscuits and muffins as well.

This is ds issue not a junk food issue

HighwayDragon1 · 03/03/2018 12:43

I'm surprised he's allowed To spend his fsm allowance at break and not on a main meal. My school fsm can only be used on the main meal option at lunch. Hot meal & drink/pudding/fruit or sandwich & drink & crisps/fruit/jelly pot.

MongerTruffle · 03/03/2018 12:45

Schools are allowed to sell a small amount of junk, ie biscuits and lollies in the summer, but not muffins or say Mars bars. If the school kitchen is in house and not run by an agency they won't be as interested in making a profit, and will offer junk as well as healthy.

Academies formed between 2010 and 2014 can sell pretty much anything they want.

GriefLeavesItsMark · 03/03/2018 12:45

Nth, if I was given the choice of a stodgy pudding with custard or chocolate, I'd pick the chocolate every time, or go without.

fleshmarketclose · 03/03/2018 12:48

At dd's school FSM would cover the cost of a "proper" main and dessert but possibly not a drink but water is freely available. However the school cannot direct the pupil to make that choice so likewise it would cover a burger, a bacon roll and a cookie or muffin which are all available every day.
At dd's school lunch break is fifty minutes and even though there are various canteens queues are long and children are more likely to grab something they can eat on the go rather than a meal that they need to sit at a table and eat as there is no guarantee there will be anywhere to sit once they have their food.
Perhaps if it is really important to you it would be better to provide a lunchbox tbh.

NewYearNewMe18 · 03/03/2018 12:48

The 'junk' is within permitted guidelines. That chocolate cake etc it isn't chocolate, its actually beetroot. The 'biscuits' are cookies and made on premises, generally don't have sugar in them. Ice lollies re generally the low sugar squash and water variety (I've been on school lunch committees). There are some quite bizarre rules eg brown toast only allowed at breakfast but white bread can be used for sandwiches. It might be worth while you familiarising yourself with the ingredients before making rash judgements.

But the last pupil of the day should have the same choice as the first pupil - which in practice means there would be a great deal of waste food.

School meals are tied to price, I know I'm a few years out of the system now but the margins are small, there is little money to be made on meals, its on the snacks that are offered, which still have to be within healthy parameters.

But OP - just because your child cannot make the choices you desire - you cannot stop the sale of other goods that other people don't have issues with. An ice lolly isn't going to cause a catastrophic obesity problem.

Penguinsandpandas · 03/03/2018 12:50

My old school meals certainly weren't healthy, almost everything was served with chips and for break they did deep fried jam sandwiches sprinkled with sugar. I think as long as healthy options are there and promoted its OK, there's always temptation around but dread to think what rubbish my DS (ASD) will be eating once he moves to secondary. The limited choice at primary is better for him.

TheJoyOfSox · 03/03/2018 12:51

Unless you absolutely do not allow biscuits, chocolate, crisps or any other ‘junk’ food into your own home I don’t think it’s for you to complain about what the school canteen stocks.
Do you think schools should only stock healthy food? How about hospitals? Prisons? Civil servants?
Maybe teach your own child the benefits of a healthy diet rather than banning the rest of the world from eating crap.
I’m willing to bet you occasionally succumb to a biscuit rather than an apple.

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