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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cost of school cooking

112 replies

WindsweptEgret · 06/05/2019 16:41

Just spent £9.19 for ingredients for a dozen chocolate muffins. Out of these, eggs and milk are all I would usually buy, if I deduct 4 eggs and 2/3 pint milk, then that's £8.19 I wouldn't otherwise have had to spend this week. The sugar and sunflower oil will eventually get used too (sugar is only used for tea and coffee for visitors), but my point is that this is an additional cost on top of my £30 weekly shop and I will be left with ingredients I didn't need. How would single parents on benefits would be able to afford it?

AIBU to think that the school could at least buy some of the more expensive things that the children only need a small amount of, such as cocoa powder and baking powder, and ask parents to send in a small amount to cover the cost for the term?

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 06/05/2019 16:45

Ours asks for £15 at the start of the year and that covers all the ingredients required

Tobebythesea · 06/05/2019 16:45

My primary school used to buy the ingredients and then charge for the amount used which was a couple of pounds. A lot cheaper! Maybe suggest this?

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 06/05/2019 16:45

well if you'll use the eggs, milk, sugar and oil then surely you've only had the baking powder and cocoa expense.

Supersavers ingredients are your friend (I had to decant mine into separate individual containers though coz the cunty kids used to tease anyone who brought supersaver anything)

ButterMyBiscuit · 06/05/2019 16:45

I would agree if they were unusual or rarely used ingredients, but what you've listed are probably in most family pantries.

DNAshelicase · 06/05/2019 16:46

Surely your child will have more cooking lessons throughout school and it will get used. Some people expect schools to sort absolutely everything for their kids

Lwmommy · 06/05/2019 16:48

Guessing youve had to buy a load of chocolate and thats what has bumped the price up. Aldi is the place togo, their own brand chocolate is cheap and bloody lovely!

Stiffasaboard · 06/05/2019 16:52

Do you really not keep flour sugar cocoa and baking powder in as standard? Sorry not meaning to be facetious just genuinely interested.

I guess I do bake a fair bit so see these as really basic ingredients

Agree tho it’s def worth a conversation with school about pooling ingredients

Linnet · 06/05/2019 16:52

My dds school charged £10 at the start of the school year to cover all costs.

WatchingTheWheels85 · 06/05/2019 16:53

My son is year 7 in a class of 11 (a class for children with anxiety). They cook twice a week! I'm a big baker so I'm stocked up but it must get so expensive for some people.

Original poster

WindsweptEgret · 06/05/2019 16:53

well if you'll use the eggs, milk, sugar and oil then surely you've only had the baking powder and cocoa expense. There was also flour, chocolate chips, and cake cases. I didn't need sugar, just didn't have enough at home for the recipe. Same for oil, I have olive oil, but the recipe required sunflower. They were an additional cost this week. I can afford it, but I'm sure many other parents may not be able to.

OP posts:

Original poster

WindsweptEgret · 06/05/2019 16:56

Do you really not keep flour sugar cocoa and baking powder in as standard? Sorry not meaning to be facetious just genuinely interested.
I keep sugar for visitors to have in tea and coffee. I don't use flour, cocoa, or baking powder.

OP posts:

TapasForTwo · 06/05/2019 16:57

That does seem an awful lot of money. I would have had all of those things in except for the chocolate chips. If it is going to be a stretch for you can you talk to the school?

PamelaX · 06/05/2019 16:58

so what's your solution? That schools stop the cooking lessons - I wouldn't even mind, for my kids they are a complete waste of time, but I realise they might be the only chance others kids will get.

That some parents pay for everybody once again?

I wish people in this country could lose the mindset that school must be "Free" - free childcare, free equipment, free trips, and even wanting free uniforms.

Yes, it's expensive to have kids, you chose to have them, you knew that.

stucknoue · 06/05/2019 16:59

My DD's school used to charge for ingredients but that annoyed me as it's the kind of stuff I had at home and I pay lower prices than school was claiming. I suppose they can't win. The good (or bad news if you think they should be cooking at school) is they do very little unless they choose food tech GCSE.

bananascanturnonlamps · 06/05/2019 17:00

I have everything apart from the chocolate chips, but we still have loads of chocolate left from Easter so I would have sent that 😁

If you're struggling (or any parent is) with the cost then contact the school for support, I'm sure they will have measures in place.

TapasForTwo · 06/05/2019 17:00

Cross posted. So you never do any baking at home at all? TBH I'm surprised that you don't keep any flour in the house. I don't just use it for baking. I though flour was a store cupboard staple for all households.

dementedpixie · 06/05/2019 17:01

Other schools have solutions as shown by some that take a monetary donation at the start of the year and buy the ingredients for everyone to share (like my DC's school)

seven201 · 06/05/2019 17:01

Parents who struggle to afford it can contact the school. Where I work if the child brings in the receipt it gets discretely reimbursed.

How do you not own flour though?!

Original poster

WindsweptEgret · 06/05/2019 17:03

So you never do any baking at home at all? TBH I'm surprised that you don't keep any flour in the house. I don't just use it for baking. I though flour was a store cupboard staple for all households. No, I never bake. I mostly cook from scratch but have never needed flour for anything.

OP posts:

howwudufeel · 06/05/2019 17:04

Make another batch of muffins next week with what’s left over?

Original poster

WindsweptEgret · 06/05/2019 17:05

Other schools have solutions as shown by some that take a monetary donation at the start of the year and buy the ingredients for everyone to share (like my DC's school)
I'd love it if they did this, I wouldn't mind subsidising any parents worse off than me, I'm sure it would still be cheaper and I wouldn't have so many leftover ingredients.

OP posts:

outvoid · 06/05/2019 17:05

How do you not own flour though?!

Flour is not a staple in everyone’s cupboard, not everyone bakes.

Seems expensive for chocolate muffins, Aldi is probably best in future. Schools always want money, it’s just the way it is.

Redlocks28 · 06/05/2019 17:06

I agree-I have spent a fortune on things for my kids’ secondary food tech things. Lots of things where you had to buy several expensive items only to use a tiny amount of it. I think it would have been far more economical for the teacher to have bought it and the cost to be shared amongst the kids.

I say that as a primary teacher who buys all of the cookery (and gardening and art and science...!) equipment (and doesn’t ask to get any of the money back, but that’s another matter...).

Strongecoffeeismydrug · 06/05/2019 17:07

Sons school ask for £5 every term and they provide the he ingredients 👍
Much better in my opinion

itbemay1 · 06/05/2019 17:09

We had same with my DD, cost roughly £10 a week at 6th form. DS school is far more sensible and charges all parents £2.50 a week which covers everything..

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