Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I going to have SS involved because of this?

308 replies

Sillyoldelfbacktoself · 19/09/2021 19:19

DD is 7, year 3.

She usually has a hot lunch at school but doesn’t like any of the options tomorrow (Pizza, Jacket Potatos and Curry she doesn’t like any of them). She will not eat the cold option of a wrap either – sensory issues around food, she can be very fussy with food - is fine everywhere else, even school have commented on her food.

I went to my dads today on my pedal bike, went shopping for lunchbox stuff (pasta, tomatoes, some fruit and some kitkats) and other stuff then dads dropped me, plus bike home (he has a bike rack on the car) but I’ve left the bags in the boot of the car. I’ve got DD back with me now (she’s been to her dads for the weekend) and dad lives an hour away anyway, there’s no way she could cycle that far. No public transport on a Sunday, no local shops open – nearest shop to me is a Tesco Metro, no corner shops or anything as I’m basically in the town centre.

I don’t own my own car as I can’t afford to (single parent). I walk and cycle everywhere and use public transport if I can’t get there under my own steam.

Dad won’t drive out to me (understandably) and I can’t get to the shop before school starts. I might be able to get there before lunchtime tomorrow but it really depends on my morning meeting and whether I can get back to my town in time.

If I email school whats likely to happen? SS report? It’s the first time it’s ever happened, usually DD will eat at least 1 of the 3 options offered by school or I can get to the shop to get stuff to make it ok.

Lesson learnt, never shop on a Sunday always do it the other days when the Tescos shut at 10pm so I can at least throw something together.

OP posts:
Lurcherloves · 19/09/2021 20:57

Have you got anything dry like crackers? Or pasta? I sometimes make my DD pasta and she takes it in a flask but it could be eaten cold. Or maybe some kind of rice dish? Or pitta bread?

ParishSpinster · 19/09/2021 20:58

I wouldn't even bother emailing the school office tbh, unless that is how you book school dinners. Just talk to your daughter in the morning about the options, what she might eat and to ask the lunch hall staff for help if she needs it.

Have you asked your dad to bring your food @Sillyoldelfbacktoself ? It's not a huge undertaking as a one off - 30 minutes each way? Plus it means you have your food. Unless he's just going to keep it?

You've panicked but you need to figure out the next step beyond tomorrow morning too, how are you getting your weekly shop back from his car?

(As I said - I'm now preoccupied with the fact you've effectively waved goodbye to your shopping for no good reason)

MumofSpud · 19/09/2021 20:59

This is a really weird situation - how on earth does someone forget their BIG food shop and leave it in someone's car?

For what it's worth - I am taking mince and veg for my lunch tomorrow!

TheWoleb · 19/09/2021 21:00

You could heat up the baked beans in the morning and put them in a thermos. If you've got plain flour, you can make a quick flatbread dough, roll out thin and fry. Let cool and put them in so she can dip them into the baked beans.

If you've got time to get to the shops then that's easier but if not, beans in a thermos is totally fine.

JanglyBeads · 19/09/2021 21:01

Posters, you really need to RTFT before replying here

TheWoleb · 19/09/2021 21:02

@PjsOn
She already explained the "more to it". Her ex-husband had her in court and accused her of all sorts. She is worried about what he would do if he found out, like if the school called both parents to ask where her lunch was.

TonytheDog · 19/09/2021 21:02

No one will call SS for one missed lunch. I'm confused about the cycling/driving thing. Just get her something from Tesco Metro in the morning. Has your dad put all of your fridge/freezer stuff in his fridge/freezer? Or, is it all in the boot of the car?

Costumeidea · 19/09/2021 21:03

Are you the same poster who was stressing over a cold chicken sandwich recently? There are a lot of similarities.

PoolNooodle · 19/09/2021 21:09

Probably is the same poster . They were also worried they would be reported to social services Hmm

Costumeidea · 19/09/2021 21:10

It’s very….niche isn’t it?

apalledandshocked · 19/09/2021 21:12

@AdriannaP

Is this made up? How can you not have any food in the house? Not even some fruit, or a yogurth or worst case even a biscuit or something? You have absolutely zero food for tomorrow that your DC can eat?
I can imagine being in that situation tbh... Maybe it is different if you are a large family but one parent+one child - it is easy to have a really set amount of things that you have in each week - especially bread etc which goes of quite quickly if you dont have freezer space.

Probably a bit late now but in a pinch I have made soda bread with flour, sodium bicarb, salt and water. But honestly, I think its also fine in a pinch for her/the school to have to cobble together something she can eat from the options available even if its not ideal.

Regularsizedrudy · 19/09/2021 21:13

How were you planning to cycle the food shop from your dads? None of this makes any sense.

Authenticcelestialmusic · 19/09/2021 21:16

Text another parent. I honestly wouldn’t think twice about making a lunchbox for my child’s classmate in this situation.

HalzTangz · 19/09/2021 21:17

Can't you ask the neighbour for 2 slices of bread so you can make or a sandwich

Branleuse · 19/09/2021 21:19

Id do her a decent breakfast, a school dinner that she can eat or not eat, and then a decent dinner at home. Its just one day. Youre overthinking it. Id maybe explain to the school whats happened and that youre worried she wont eat

HalzTangz · 19/09/2021 21:20

Of course you can get the, just leave a bit earlier to give you time to get there and back to the school then the train station

MrsRobbieHart · 19/09/2021 21:21

@Regularsizedrudy

How were you planning to cycle the food shop from your dads? None of this makes any sense.
Read the OP.
obvnamechang · 19/09/2021 21:22

Lol
My child went all week without eating even a mouthful of their hot school dinner

I however thought they had eaten

School informed me on Friday
Nobody else was informed

Foxlover46 · 19/09/2021 21:24

Ah you've had quite a hard time of it on this post , I've had times where I've been really really low on money and only had the bare basics to send my child in for lunch.
It's hard being on your own and not driving sometimes aswell.
Just read that your locals will be open at 7, that's brilliant so you can sort something.
We all make cock ups sometimes , as parents , don't keep apologizing you're doing your best x

HalzTangz · 19/09/2021 21:25

Surely the solution is ask her dad to make a pack up or drop some bread and filling off. In a town centre there will be some corner shops that will be open til 10 or 11 tonight

harveythehorse · 19/09/2021 21:27

Do you have any friends at the same school who could make something for her as a one-off (I would absolutely do this for someone)? Alternatively, could you drop the lunch into school mid-morning once the shops have opened and you've been able to re-stock?

Muffinsandfruitcakes · 19/09/2021 21:29

Is there a neighbour you can borrow some bread tonight or tomorrow morning and get them a full loaf tomorrow?

ACCx · 19/09/2021 21:31

Try not to worry to much OP. Either run to the Tesco in the morning early and grab something, or get to a shop just because school starts (sure it won’t matter being a little late on this occasion if you explain it was to get her some dinner) or just simply ask the school to provide the meal without the potato just for tomorrow. I’m sure all will go smoothly in the morning :) x

TheWoleb · 19/09/2021 21:32

@HalzTangz

If you had a very difficult ex who did everything they could to make your life harder, and used everything they could against you in regards to your children and used your children as weapons then you would not call them to ask them to drop off some lunch things. It isnt an option.

HalzTangz · 19/09/2021 21:39

@BewaretheIckabog

And you cycle 25 miles in an hour - is it all downhill?
25 miles in a hour is doable on a bike. I do it every day
Swipe left for the next trending thread