To ask you what you pay for secondary school dinners?

[Evenquieterlife33]

DD has just started one of the Harris Academy secondary and I’m shocked at how much the food bills are.
They sell hot sweet waffles every morning before class 1.15 each, a sandwich is 2.00 and a brownie around the same and soft drinks are 1.00 ish. Kids are not allowed to bring their own soft drink onto the premises. Water only. Which would be fine if they then didn’t have to resist the soft drinks at lunch.
So da is spending on a trial basis- so far around 4-5 pounds a day. I believe 5 is their limit for spending. Are other schools this expensive? I know another local school which has a 2.50 meal charge for two courses plus a drink. Just wondering. And planning to go onto packed lunch.

£4.50 each

It’s a set price per day and we have to pay termly

I know! We will have two more at the school soon, no way am I forking out 15.00 a day!

Ds has just started year 7 and there’s a meal deal for 2.30, sandwiches are cheaper about 1.1 and break time snacks are quite cheap. I’m sure he’s been getting burgers for 75p!

I give my DS a budget of £2.50 a day. There are good value 2 course hot meals but he prefers a panini or similar

My two spend between £15 and £20 per week each.

That sounds much more sensible!

I put £25 a week into my daughters parent pay account. She usually has £3-£5 of it left come friday.
I'd say she spends on average £4 a day, depending what she eats. It tends to be pasta and a drink for lunch. She sometimes has a panini before school or at break. It does add up but I'd hate her to be hungry

£2.70 buys either a meal and a drink or a meal and pudding

Yep, but they don't have to spend that much - mine take in a water bottle (which they can refill in school) and if they choose breakfast/snacks etc that obvs bumps the prices up! Mine have a £3 a day limit, so if they choose to buy breakfast/snacks/drinks with that, then they can't also buy lunch, and need to take a packed lunch with them. It's up to them how they spend the money, but I'm not paying £5 each a day for them to eat anyhting/everything, they have to choose wisely, and stick to their budget. They also know that if they go over their monthly budget (I pay into their parentpay account at the beginning of each month) then it's packed lunches from then on in!

Also apparently nothing is priced - so it’s pretty difficult for the kids to work out costs or stick to a budget when they first start.

I top up what my son has to£3 a day but it’s usually about £1.50 but takes his own drink and snack

Meal deal I£2.50 I think

Mine take their own lunch and have £5 a week for snacks. £5 a day for one child to have lunch is ridiculous!

I allocate £3 per day.

Ds usually has a fruit slush (75p small £1.25c large)
Potato wedges are £1.25
Pizza is £1.90
There is a meal deal which I think is about £2.35

On the breakfast menu waffles are 80p, bacon sandwich £1.35, toast 25p, cereal & milk 55p

Ours cost around £2.65 for a meal and a drink

I tried packed lunches last year but hardly anyone at their school has them so we swapped back. I think I saved money with packed lunches though as I now spend £9 a day on the lunches but they also need snacks etc and they eat A LOT!!

I think it’s too much. I struggle. I make 3 packed lunches a day to save money and I send in a morning snack with the two eldest children too. This is all to save money but if it was more affordable I’d love them to have lunch at school.

I allocate about £12-15 a week. I always provide a water bottle and some snacks - just a bag of crisps/ fruit and a couple of biscuits. He then buys himself a bagel / pizza or chicken baguette and sometimes a drink or flapjack

Mine spend under £3 a day

£3 a day. So yes, that seems very expensive.

My nephew is in high school and has £5 per day 😱.

My dd goes up to high school next year and I just cannot believe. A fiver a day. It ridiculous. My husband and I don't spend that much on our dinners all week!!!

I tell my 2 to not spend more than 3 pounds a day. They take Chillys bottles with water so they don't waste money on drinks. Generally they buy a panini or pasta pot which is about 2 pounds and every now and then spend 50p on a waffle or something. If they start spending more I tell them they need to take a snack in or it gets way too expensive.

I'm shocked at the cost and the poor food available. I wouldn't want my children eating, waffles, wedges, pizza, paninis each day.

My kids have amazing home cooked food st their school.

Budget of £2.50 a day, takes his own snack for break Mon-Thu with a treat Friday break, takes a water bottle and refills it. He tends to spend £1.60-£2 a day and saves up for his Friday treat and a milkshake with lunch. They have meal deals, a main and drink or main and pudding for £2.10. Apparently the portions are huge if he goes for a cooked meal, so he has this when he's got a really active day.

£435 a term