To think this packed lunch is fine?

[Lunchwoes]

So about a month ago DSD switched from hot lunches to packed lunch. She goes to school from our house Monday and Tuesday so I pack her lunch.

Today her Mum has text DH and said she's always starving when she gets in Mon and Tuesday so she needs bigger lunches. He said no problem we will make them a bit bigger or pack an extra snack for later as she has netball on a Tuesday after school.

Now this is the crazy bit, she said she just buys her Tesco meal deals as they fill her up and asked that we do the same!

For info she had a cheese and tomato omelette with a slice of toast for breakfast. Her packed lunch was a roast chicken and salad wrap, apple slices and peanut butter, a Greek yogurt and some celery sticks with hummus.

I will obviously very happily pack extra if she's hungry but a tesco meal deal?!

Your lunch is much better for her than a meal deal. Children who eat healthy food will probably grow up to be much healthier adults.

I mean... my DC is 6 and for lunch typically has a large wrap, a whole piece of fruit, a bunch of veg type stuff. School gives them morning and afternoon snack (usually healthy but not a massive amount of food) in addition. When I pick up DC at 4pm they typically have a whole apple and peanut butter plus some crackers and are very hungry for dinner at 5:30. DC is fairly slim so not over eating.

At 14 I was very sporty and was literally eating 3000-4000 calories per day and was slim (8.5 stone, 5'4" and very muscly). I used to eat entire packs of crackers (like imagine a whole roll of hob nobs or similar!) between school and sports practice.

It’s not. It’s a pretty balanced tea, especially with everything else he eats in a day. He’s a very active, growing , skinny 7 year old.

Crisps? Pastries? Chocolate bars ? All are processed. Maybe swap for for more protein.

Nope. What will fill her is nutritional foods not processed sugar , salt and fat.

Meal deals are obviously full of saturated fats, salt and sugar and complete crap and what you're giving her sounds really healthy. I don't know what out of a meal deal would fill her up more that what you're giving her. White carbs certainly won't.

I'd suspect the mother just doesn't like you out-mothering her and wants to drag you down to her level.

The lunch sounds delicious. If she's hungry maybe just add in a couple of babybels and some crackers or breadsticks for a pre-netball snack.

Try a baked potato with cheese/ beans and some fruit and yoghurt .Far more filling AND nutritious.

He had cheese in his sandwich, and beef in his lunch with cauliflower on the side. Plus fruit at school and at home. Children do need carbs as well!

With respect they need real carbs not upf carbs.

My dd would still be hungry after that. Celery sticks are pointless for teens who need calories and energy, ditto cucumber. Ok as a snack if you’re watching your weight. You need a few more carbs for sure. I’m not saying her mother is correct in getting her the meal deal but she probably knows her eating needs a bit better.

He had a hot lunch, no time for a cooked dinner as well today. Stop policing what people eat like this. He is a perfectly healthy boy.

Temperature has nothing to do with its nutritional value. Im not policing. Just correcting misinformation. Chn nor adults needs crisps or chocolate. We like it but we don’t need it.

It sounds like diet food and doesn't seem to have enough carbs. Even a banana would make it more filling. What about pasta?

Beans and yoghurt, so no less processed than his actual dinner.

Beans are one of his 5 a day. Natural yoghurt isn’t processed. Not talking sugared crap.

What ?? What you provide sounds better and more than a Tesco meal deal . She probably just wants the crappy food and nothing to do with quantity ,

What you’re giving her is much more than you get in a tesco meal deal and foods which actually sustain you so she must not be eating it all (does she like all the things you listed?) if a meal deal fills her up but that doesn’t! You should tell her mum what you pack for her so she knows you’re not actually under feeding her! But at least a meal deal is quick & easy I suppose - sounds like you’ve been going to much more effort making her a lovely healthy lunch.

Your lunch sounds great.
Can you add egg, hummus or tofu to the wrap, so it's a bit more filling, if you don't already do so?

Can we add 'peanut butter is banned in schools' to the food threads bingo sheets? Have been a primary teacher in numerous schools across two counties and never ever worked in a school that bans it. I don't doubt it happens but it's very far from universal.

OR mum is under pressure by the child to do the same lunches and isn’t willing to…so she wants you to lower your standards in line with hers to relieve the pressure?

Mum wants to have a dig at step mum’s better lunches so is going for the hunger angle.

Very silly- a bought sandwich is fine but I doubt she’s choosing a healthy snack and drink to go with it.
Making her an extra wrap would be better, or adding in something like a slice of pizza or granola bar.
Is she definitely eating the lunch though? Secondary school kids can be weird about uncool packed lunches.

It's only better if the child actually eats it. And I have strong suspicions that DSD isn't eating most of it due to fear of being ridculed. Which might well be why she is hungry.

Does her father have an opinion? Does he ever make her lunch?

I suspect the problem is that your lunch (which I would love!) is “cringe” for painfully self-conscious twelve year olds. Slices of apple with peanut butter will be seen as a toddler snack, there’s too much of a “mummy made it” vibe. I think this is one time when you should compromise and give her, if not a meal deal, then a collection of generic items that could pass for one.