To not understand how it's cheaper to send dc to school with a cold happy meal than a packed lunch?

[bobstersmum]

In the news this week, an article about children in deprived areas being sent to school with a cold happy meal. Then parents in another article defending the reasons for it, saying that sometimes it's all they can afford. I just can't understand it? A happy meal is 2.99 I think? But a cheap loaf of bread is 50p, a cheap pack of sandwich meat or cheese is less than a pound, bag of bananas a pound multipack of crisps a pound, that's lunches for the week for around the same cost?

@QuestionableMouse where on this planet are you paying £4 for butter?

Which parts of the UK are exempt??

Wales.

So, sod all to do with the article from Liverpool then.

All the parents in the genuine level of poverty who can't send in more than half a sandwich for a full meal, would qualify for free meals.

The parents who sending in £2.69 of cold happy meal, could have a school dinner for £2.50. This is bone idle parenting under the charade of poverty.

I'm sure lots of people have pointed out that you could make a weeks worth of ham sandwiches for 2.79.

where on this planet are you paying £4 for butter?

Depends what you’re buying. The butter I buy is normally £4. It’s currently on offer at £3.

“I am not sure how much actual chicken is in macds chicken nuggets. Of course a chicken drumstick is better for you nutritionally”

Apart from the coating, what else do you think is IN a chicken nugget, other than chicken?!

And as others have said- read the article. There is nothing saying the nugget eaters couldn’t afford food

I think it was me who first mentioned the chicken drumstick. I used to put them in my ds's lunchbox. I literally meant a raw piece of chicken which I cooked myself... usually with garlic, herbs and lemon.

Apart from the coating, what else do you think is IN a chicken nugget, other than chicken?! there is chicken in it! But a load of fatty salty shite as well.

Only on mumsnet would you waste time trying to explain the people the difference in nutritional value between a piece of chicken and a chicken nugget

The parents who sending in £2.69 of cold happy meal, could have a school dinner for £2.50. This is bone idle parenting under the charade of poverty.

No, you clearly haven't read the article.

The parents sending the leftover McDonalds aren't the ones who are claiming they afford anything else. The article is about two different things - poverty (the children whose parents can only afford to send half a sandwich) and less than ideal lunches (the leftover components of a Happy Meal).

Oh ok. Then the happy meal parents need to have a word with themselves.

Still not sure why the sandwich parents arent on FSM?

When you read the article it actually links to a Lancashire paper and talks about Darwin and Blackburn so no where near Liverpool and not particularly rural either ...

Only on Mn would someone make up a load of shite about what’s in a McNugget just because it’s McDonald’s. What is fatty salty shite? It’s 100% chicken breast, and they’ve made that very clear for years now. Bet you believe urban legends about KFC with pus blisters in them too.

Lots of children won’t eat fsm
Lots of parents are embarrassed to claim them
Lots of people are temporarily poor and don’t qualify for them

Oh ok. Then the happy meal parents need to have a word with themselves.

Still not sure why the sandwich parents arent on FSM?

Exactly!!!!

But would anyone willingly eat cold McDonald’s fries?

LOL, you haven't met my DD2, the girl who liked frozen oven nuggets. ('Fully cooked, heat to serve'. Or don't.)

DD4 (aged 18) and I were chatting about school lunches and she reminded me of the day - probably ten years ago - when I sent her to school with nothing in her sandwich. Something must have distracted me.

What is fatty salty shite

The coating.

So why did you say:

“I am not sure how much actual chicken is in macds chicken nuggets”

If you were well aware that it is 100% chicken breast.

So any coated meat or fish is salty fatty shite now is it? Weirdo.

Erm speaks slowly

I am sure the tiny amount of chicken in chicken nuggets is, in fact, chicken. The rest of the ingredients make up more than half the recipe. So a chicken drumstick has, gram for gram, more chicken!, more protein, less fat (almost none if skin off), no salt and no sugar. So it is nutritionally superior.

and yes, anything coated in a fatty salty coating and deep fried is not good for you.

I'm glad I don't lead a life where I nutritionally examine everything I ever eat...

There is no need to speak slowly when you’re talking crap. Everyone understands you. Most of them were smart enough to read the article properly too.

I don't know if this has already been pointed out but you don't get free school meals for every single child in wales, only if you are on qualifying benefits.

Also working poor don't get any help..I really struggle sometimes to do pack up for my 3..I forfeit my own lunch t work so they can have it

Oh and you’re the only banging on a out chicken drumstick vs chicken nuggets. No one else has compared their “gram for gram” nutritional contents.

Can you do any others?

What about
Chicken nuggets vs cheese sandwich
Chicken nuggets vs slice of quiche
Chicken nuggets vs ham roll
Chicken nuggets vs corned beef sandwich

Oh we could go on forever, comparing chicken nuggets to random foods, GRAM BY GRAM

@QuestionableMouse. where are you shopping? You can get ham here. In one of the most expensive place in England. For £1. Butter block for 90p. Cheese in Lidl can be £1 too. And a loaf of bread is 50p....

This was the question:

Why are cold chicken nuggets seen as being inferior to cold chicken in a different form?

so I've answered it.

I suspect that the majority of children who have been sent to school with a cold happy meal, aren't having that every day. My best guess is that it was a treat from the night before, that didn't get eaten for whatever reason, and the parents didn't want it wasted. Probably a 'once in a blue moon' type thing for most.

IF, however, they are regularly and routinely being sent in with a cold mcdonalds, then there is obviously a much larger issue that needs to be addressed.

Likewise, children being sent to school with only half a sandwich regularly is a huge alarm bells moment.

Context is everything.