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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this isn't enough food?

39 replies

Spiderhands · 10/09/2019 17:24

DCs after school club was taken over by a new owner over the summer.

Apparently the old ways (copious beige food) have been abandoned, and I have DCs complaining of hunger at pick up.

I'm all for healthy eating but my youngest says she only had a single rice cake today. Fruit was also on offer but they are given a platter to share and other children got there first, so she didnt get any.

OBVIOUSLY I will speak to the provider first and get their input but if true this isn't enough is it? Even if she'd had her share of the fruit she says it would only have been a couple of pieces not e.g. a whole apple or banana, which still feels a bit measly to me.

They do eat when they get home, but that's not till 6pm.

OP posts:
BeanBag7 · 10/09/2019 17:25

Of course a single rice cake and half an apple is not enough food, but I do find it really hard to believe that's all that was offered.

Original poster
Spiderhands · 10/09/2019 17:27

Yes I too am suspicious! But both DC are saying it and they are usually quite reliable.

I'll have a word tomorrow.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 10/09/2019 17:30

What is supposed to be provided? Normally it's just a snack at best.

Marcipex · 10/09/2019 17:30

I used to work in one and yes, snacks were tiny . It was actually embarrassing to serve it.

PinkFlowerFairy · 10/09/2019 17:31

What do they normalky have as after school snacks. Fruit and toast would be common here.

ScreamingValenta · 10/09/2019 17:32

How long are they at the club for, in relation to when they had lunch?

Original poster
Spiderhands · 10/09/2019 17:33

I actually dont know as it wasnt an issue last year. Apparently there was a new menu circulated but I didnt see it.

I don't necessarily object to it being just a snack but if so I do feel it should be a substantial one, bearing in mind they're there until 6, and maybe with a bit of choice on offer?

OP posts:
Original poster
Spiderhands · 10/09/2019 17:36

They'll be having lunch at 12ish.

In the club from 3 until 6 (at the a latest). Fruit and toast I think is ok, but surely they should be making sure everyone gets their portion. Rice cakes with no topping I think is pretty grim.

OP posts:
IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying · 10/09/2019 17:38

Do they have a big meal at home in the evening or is the main meal lunch? Being hungry at 6 if you're eating at 6:30/7 is normal. I'm hungry now but I know I'll eat at 6:30 so I won't eat now.

Can you can send them with a banana or an apple?

IveGotBillsTheyreMultiplying · 10/09/2019 17:39

Rice cakes are grim- I have never had one but the look like polystyrene.

StatisticallyChallenged · 10/09/2019 17:40

I run an ASC, and snack is a complete minefield. We can serve up the same snack and have one parent say their child didn't get anything (because they didn't come for snack when offered), another say it was perfect, another say it was too beige, someone say it was too small and their child was hungry, and another say it was too much and they didn't eat their dinner!

We'd also be crucified by our regulator for "copious beige food" tbh.

Snack for us is generally two fruits/a fruit and a veg (children choose the weekly menu) with a carb - if it was ricecakes I think we'd usually allow about 2.5 per head when buying (big ones!) which covers the small eaters and the big eaters.

Does the new provider run other clubs? If so it could just be that they've imported what they normally do elsewhere. I'd suggest talking to them

Original poster
Spiderhands · 10/09/2019 17:41

They didnt need a big evening meal last year but it looks like that will be changing!

No they say I'm not allowed to send snacks. I shall have a word tomorrow, thanks all just wanted a feel for what is usual to expect.

OP posts:
Raphael34 · 10/09/2019 17:44

What are they actually meant to provide? Do you pay extra for the food? If they’ve stated that the children will be given a filling/substantial snack/meal then I’d definitely complain. If they’ve just stated the children will be offered a snack then your complaint might be dismissed. I’d send your children in with snacks if they’re coming home too hungry

Lucked · 10/09/2019 17:46

Mine mostly get beige food such as toast, wraps or sandwiches but as it is only snack size I am okay with it.

I think you should let them know that the platters aren’t working or they need to lay on more of them.

Marcipex · 10/09/2019 17:54

Is it usual to be banned from sending an extra stack? That seems extreme.

StatisticallyChallenged · 10/09/2019 17:56

I'd agree the extra snack ban is weird.

Ilikethisone · 10/09/2019 17:57

Ours is a snack.

And mo they wont offer lots of choices. Oe even a few choices. Imagine the waste.

Also it's not unusual to ask not to send extra snacks.

trilbydoll · 10/09/2019 18:01

I think DD is offered
Bread roll
Wrap
Waffle

With ham, cheese and some greenery which she isn't interested in. She usually has a ham wrap.

Tbh it's the one thing that makes me wish I'd gone for a childminder, picking them up at 6pm after a cooked meal sounds like a dream!

Qwerty19 · 10/09/2019 18:17

Ours used to. Do 1 slice of toast and some slices of fruit.. I used to take something on pick up as by time I bussed home as didn't drive then and cooked it would be 7pm.

MotherFuckingLanguages · 10/09/2019 18:24

That’s long enough to go without food

NabooThatsWho · 10/09/2019 18:30

Rice cakes are grim. What is even the point in them? Whole meal toast or something would be far better.

I hate stinginess with food.
There’s healthy eating and then there is starvation. Healthy eating should mean providing the children with a range of options and letting them eat enough so that their bellies will be filled. You know what it’s like when you’re hungry, you feel miserable and can’t concentrate on anything.

They’re probably just trying to spend as little money as possible on food.

73Sunglasslover · 10/09/2019 18:34

It's a larger snack than my kids got at that age.

CoffeeRunner · 10/09/2019 18:34

DD can choose between bread & butter or toast. And I believe there is ham or cheese if they want to make a sandwich. Sometimes, there is a choice of something like a crumpet instead.

Then they have a few slices of apple, pear or orange. But the playworker comes around with the tray - they all get to choose two slices each & then she goes around again with whatever's left. No chance for anyone to empty the plate.

I think it's perfectly fine as an afterschool snack. DD has lunch at 12.30 & tea about 6.

hidinginthenightgarden · 10/09/2019 18:34

Well what are you paying for?
I pay for my DS to be collected, fed snack and then a meal.
If the provider has changed you should still get the same offering assuming you are paying the same price.
IF snack was all they ever got but it got smaller then I wouldn't have much to say. I would if they weren't getting the meal I paid for!

NerdyBird · 10/09/2019 18:36

We discovered that the afterschool club snack is more substantial than we had thought, so it is worth checking. Dd gets loads of choice but at dsc school it was pretty basic.