Head not allowing my DD school packed lunch

[peacockfeather11]

This is the first time I taking this up directly with the HT. DD says the food awful and bland, this was brought up last year with the HT by a group of parents and as usual the response was 'we will try a new menu'. It did work for a few weeks and then the standard dropped once again, by then the parents had given up.
Now again this year and same issue, I sent an email and was told they have a 'no packed lunch policy', I can't find this one their web site and no-one seems to think it exists and that a new menu will be introduced. DD is so hungry after school and being in Yr6 has more work but has lost her appetite since going back. She generally has a good appetite and will try anything but says the school food is making her sick.
I sent another mail before holidays and never got a response. I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

Oh wow that does sound extreme. Do you know what sort of food it is they’re serving? Are you able to ask other parents what their kids have said about it?

So you can only have food the school provides and can't take in your own packed lunch? That's crap if true. Both mine take a packed lunch so they don't have to queue for food

I’d possibly go down the route of trying to throw some action words in.

So either ‘safeguarding issue’
Or ‘sensory issues and therefore discrimination against special needs’ etc.

I’m just winging it though, someone more in the know might talk more sense.

Is she fussy normally? Awful and bland’ and ‘making her sick’ are two v different things. A friend of mine complains constantly about the food at our school, but having attempted to feed her daughters I see why they don’t eat the school lunch. Does she just not like it?

I would send her with a substantial snack for break-a sandwich and a banana, for example.

Is this a private school? It may justify part of the fees through use of meals.

I’d possibly go down the route of trying to throw some action words in.
So either ‘safeguarding issue’
Or ‘sensory issues and therefore discrimination against special needs’ etc
So, "lie?"
Prick move.

What do they do for kids with allergies because my Dd has multiple allergies and no way would I ever trust a school kitchen to cater for her!

What is their actual issue with pack ups? Do they have a reason for banning them? Do you have to pay for these uneaten meals? What about parents who aren’t entitled to free school meals but would find paying for a school dinner quite an expense compared to a pack up.

Bland food is definitely not a safeguarding issue!

I'd leave it now. Honestly schools are juggling a lot at the moment , there is only so much they can do.
Sometimes we have to suck it up and just deal with things

I think you should use it as a lesson for her, in life we don't always get what we want. Assuming the food is edible, she should eat it. Sometimes life is bland, often life is unappealing.

YANBU. It was one of the reasons my son left his school and went elsewhere. Even pre-covid they had a non packed lunch policy but couldn't accommodate his particular dietary requirements. My son eats halal and the school vegetarian options were rubbish. Everyone else would have lasagna, curry, pie, sausages and he'd be stuck with potato wedges and a wet salad day in day out. Sometimes a margarita pizza would show up but really not much more options than that.

@Lulooo

YANBU. It was one of the reasons my son left his school and went elsewhere. Even pre-covid they had a non packed lunch policy but couldn't accommodate his particular dietary requirements. My son eats halal and the school vegetarian options were rubbish. Everyone else would have lasagna, curry, pie, sausages and he'd be stuck with potato wedges and a wet salad day in day out. Sometimes a margarita pizza would show up but really not much more options than that.

He'd be paying for a full price meal for this.

Can you give an example of the lunch menu?

She says most days it is awful and bland, then the lunch police 'persuade' her try some more and then she feels sick. State school. Special allergies/conditions are treated differently.
At home, especially during lockdown she enjoyed everything given and I cook most from scratch, today was chicken cacciatore with basil and olives. She has also learnt to cook some dishes and tries a variety of food.
Other parents have complained too and have got same response. As for leaving it because they have enough on their plate (literally), I am providing a solution and taking on the expense and time.

This was not the best school in lockdown and her teacher never spoke to the class, only uploaded work, very one sided but that's another issue.

If your dd is struggling that much, I suspect that there are other children in that case. My experience is that Y6 often feel hungry anyway because options size are re added to a Y2 than a Y6....

Anyway, talk again o the parents and make a request to the HT again. Point out that children who are hungry can’t concentrate well in the afternoon. Or that they start misbehaving which is detrimental to everyone.
Ask for the reasoning re pack lunches too. Most schools are able to cope with packed lunches atm. No reason why they can’t too. Etc....

What is the actual food?

What sort of thing are they serving - can you give a couple of examples?

I attended private schools that would not allow pack lunches under any circumstance. The food was horrible and I often wouldn't eat it but I survived. Make sure your daughter has a good breakfast, and a snack + large dinner after school.

Do the school not do a packed lunch type option like a sandwich instead of the actual meals?

I cant believe a school would refuse to allow pack lunches, how ridiculous. Could you start a petition and pass it round other parents to show that a large portion of parents are sick of this.

Do you have to pay for school dinners? What happens if you dont pay?

@GreyishDays

I’d possibly go down the route of trying to throw some action words in.

So either ‘safeguarding issue’
Or ‘sensory issues and therefore discrimination against special needs’ etc.

I’m just winging it though, someone more in the know might talk more sense.

Can you expand on "safeguarding issue", in the context of school dinners?

"Eat this"

"I don't like'

"Eat it"

"It makes me feel sick"

"Eat it"

"I can bring my own food"

"Eat this vile food, I forbid you to eat anything else"

Now imagine that's an exchange between any two adults, perhaps husband and wife/boss and employee.

This strange notion seems to prevail, particularly on here, that children should be basically forced to eat crappy food they can not stand and it boggles my mind.

If an adult did it to another adult, it would be classed as abusive.

I admit, I may be projecting a little as I cannot eat anything I don't like. I have tried just to be polite but my throat involuntarily closes up and I throw up or choke. It's my idea of torture.

Can you share the menu?

Why do they have a no packed lunch policy? That’s what you need to understand, so that you can challenge it.

Our school is v anti-packed lunches but acknowledge the "covid reduced menu" is shite and are unclenching a bit on that. Have you requested to see the policy? Do they take in their own snack?