Not to switch DD to packed lunch in juniors after FSM ends?

[bumburlinga]

At our school most parents switch to packed lunches after FSM ends at end of Y2. I guess because of cost which is £2.10 a day. They’re good quality and she likes them. I LOVE the convenience and hate having to make a packed lunch (like now for Easter holiday club) and think this is worth my money.

DH isn’t here during the week and can’t see past the money aspect. He wants us (me) to start doing a pack up. This will soon turn into three lunchboxes I’m sure because I have 2 others at the school including one in the school nursery (I pay lunch because it’s not free until Reception) and I’m sure they won’t put up with biggest having a lunch box and their not having one just for the FOMO factor.

So AIBU paying for lunch after FSM ends when it would be cheaper to make?

Mine are grown now but my preference was school dinners. I'd rather pay more to have the convenience and not feel obliged to cook every evening for them. But youngest loved packed lunches... so I paid for one and made lunches for the other. At 18 she still has sandwiches for breakfast most of the time....

And at my school we have free school meals for all so most have them. Some children hate the lunch food though, so barely eat anything and their parents insist they have the FSM. They probably eat double when they get home!

Mine wouldn't have school dinners because their friends all had packed lunches and sat in a different area, and then went out to play sooner as they didn't need to queue. I hated making lunches, especially when I'd realise last minute we'd run out of stuff so had to nip out last minute.

Not on here. It will be: plain Greek yogurt, carrot and cucumber sticks, a few cherry tomatoes, hummus and one square of good-quality dark chocolate.

If money isn't tight and your daughter likes them then I would stick with it. Would your DH even realise if you just didn't mention the dilemma again if he's not around?

Depending on your school dinners you may end up gravitating to packed lunches in a few years anyways. Portion sizes can be an issue in some places- it is at my dc's school which is why we ended up switching.

Now the bottomless pit takes a wrap with salad and ham/ cheese/ chicken in it, crisps, a biscuit and two pieces of fruit or veg. In the winter I warm up leftover pasta bake/ soup etc and send in a food flask.

Mine had jacket potato and beans literally every day. At least with packed lunch I can vary it slightly!

I don’t get this either!

If husband doesn’t like the expense of school dinners then suggest to him that he can do a weekly food shop every Sunday - to buy everything for a week of lunchboxes. Then every evening he can make the lunchboxes and leave them in the fridge for the next morning.

If he isn’t willing to do that, then they will be having school dinners.

Did nobody read that OP where she says her husband isn't there in the week??

My son took a chicken and salad wrap and an apple, and either carrot sticks, cucumber sticks or a banana and water in his water bottle. Not everyone sends their kids off with sugary rubbish.

So dh isn't there during the week? Well Sundays will be him making and freezing a week's worth of lunches!

I don't like the faff of making packed lunches, but they are the only way to ensure my son actually has a decent lunch... I send him with a sandwich (bread from a 400g loaf as that's what we have at home or a muffin) or tuna pasta, at least one type of fruit (often chopped grapes, blueberries, a banana, an apple etc), a portion of veg (cucumber, carrot sticks etc), a savoury snack (such as a couple of crackers, a small packet of crisps or a mini pepperoni as he enjoys those) and a 'pudding' (which can be two biscuits, a pot of jelly, a homemade flapjack etc). My son is allergic to dairy and tomatoes so we have to be mindful.

At school, he often has a small muffin with tuna on and an apple. That's it for the school lunch... On a "good" day, he has a thin slice of chicken, two mini roast potatoes (like the frozen ones you can buy) and some broccoli...

I was really shocked when I did lunch duty and realised that even the Year 6s are being given portions like that. I suspect it is linked to cost cutting and the fact the dinners are provided by an external company, as - years ago - they used to be great when we had "in house" kitchen staff, who provided appropriately sized meals.

If the meals at your child's school are decent though, and they come home fed and happy, I'd definitely opt to keep them on school dinners.

DH isn’t here during the week

He wants us (me) to start doing a pack up.

If he's not here during the week then he doesn't get to choose. If he was home and willing to make up a packed lunch every day then fine. He's not, so tough.

(Though I guarantee that if you put him on daily packed lunch duties he would last possibly three days before putting DC on school lunches).

Amazing what dads announce they would like to happen whilst blithe in the knowledge that they will have none of the logistical faff!

My child is coeliac so I make her lunch boxes because of the risk of cross contamination.. if she wasn’t then she would DEFINITELY still be having school meals!! Making lunch boxes does my head in!!!!

We pay 2.50 for the lunches and I don't even look at the menu any more, I think it is more varied than what they would get in a packed lunch plus it gets them used to eating different things and just what's there (one of mine actually eats better at school than at home it seems). We both work and it's one less thing to do plus I like them having a cooked meal, especially if we don't have to cook it! It's a small school and the chef is one of the mums and we know they are getting a decent meal. They have the occasional packed lunch as a treat (they love it) at the end of a half term or if one needs it for a trip or something then they might as well all get it, but it is very rare.

I HATE making packed lunches
£2.10 is a bargain to not have to.

What does your child want?

Never wld i ever agree to packed lunches. Total hassle and having to think of yet more meals

Agreed. I’ve just posted on the “jobs you hate” thread and packed lunches is up there.

Glad I’m not the only one who hates making them. I think it’s the washing of the little tubs that gets me. Can’t bring myself to use disposable plastic bags for everything but that would speed things up maybe.

I’ll gently suggest DH could maybe make the saving elsewhere if he thinks it’s that tenner a week that will make the difference…(it’s not).

Typical lunchbox from this week at Easter holiday club costed at Sainsbury’s £1.57. Yes could be cheaper at Aldi or unbranded but Sainsbury’s is where I shop.

Frube 25p
Sandwich thin 23p
Ham 28p
1/6 cucumber 15p
1/4 pepper 15p
Banana 16p
Babybel 18p
Rocky bar 17p

I absolutely hate making packed lunches and would happily pay for my kids to have school dinners, but the quality is poor at our school so I don’t.

Do they not let you use cling film?

I agreed to packed lunches after the FSM came to an end. Do not make the same mistake! It was a ball ache. I don't have them, DH doesn't have them and I hate making them. I was thrilled to bits when he started comp in September and I didn't have to bother anymore.

Another one that doesn't get the hot meal thing!

Tell him that's absolutely fine as long as he makes them. I can't be bothered to make mine packed lunches either and won't even tell them it's an option. It probably does cost us money but the reduction in morning hassle is priceless to me.

My job involves oversight of the kitchen. We cook in house and our food is amazing. We take note of the School Council, and if the water suggests the kids don't like something we tweak it until they do. We consider ways to make things appeal to kids eyes and palettes.

Best thing is I get to QC and I eat with the kids to watch their reactions.

Favourite is Mac and cheese which we've recently added smashed tortilla chips too. Chatting to a caterer recently I'm also flirting with adding a dash of bbq sauce to the upper years.

One thing I'll say. The school dinner tables are comparatively easy to clean after a sitting. You might think your packed lunch goes down a storm if you get an empty box back, but the food that's chucked on the floor suggests strongly your kids think their contents were not as yummy as you'd thought.