School stopping Meat Free Monday doesn’t make any sense

[Miriamfriend]

Our schools trust has recently stopped being part of Meat Free Monday for school lunches. The school have said some parents complained about it.

The school is very focused on being environmentally conscious- crisps not allowed as a break time snack due to potential errant packets, single use plastic actively discouraged etc. I can’t see a single reason why a school or a parent would have any issue with lunches being meat free for one day a week but maybe I’m missing something?

You are being unreasonable- being meat free for one meal is not a reasonable request

You are not being unreasonable -being meat free for one school meal is not a bad thing

Because meat is carcinogenic while plants are the building blocks of good nutrition.

These sorts of initiatives are all very laudable but if the children don’t like what’s on offer, and the parents are voting with their money, then the school is stuck.

We're omnivores.

I would have thought ensuring they have a gluten free option is a reasonable adjustment

Many in the rural & farming communities find it a boy offensive. Slogging your guts out all year to provide quality British food & it's not good enough for the local schools.

Personally I don't have a problem with it as long as it's quality & healthy meat free food (veg, pulses etc) and not UPF fake meat, but backed up with serving quality British meat rather than UPF nuggets, burgers etc.

The problem is kids prob turn their noses up at quality food both meat & meat free plus budgets don't allow for it

I get the reasoning behind it and it and it wouldnt bother me in the slightest but I do also see where some parents are coming from.

Their child eats meat - why do they have to do a meat free Monday with no other option with meat in it.

If your child was vegan/vegetarian and Tuesday was meat only with no vegetarian option you wouldn't be happy.

So why is it okay to have a day where meat eaters have no choice to eat meat but its not okay for vegetarians to have a day where they have no choice to only eat meat?

The obvious reason for it is that people send their children in with packed lunches on Mondays due to not wanting/liking the food that day - they can't afford the wastage.

If there’s more food waste on a Monday then it’s not really environmentally friendly.

It’s good that they aren’t just serving processed fake meat butI assume they are serving pasta in tomato sauce with cheese rather than adding something more nutritious and interesting like mushrooms.

My children’s primary got rid of meat free Mondays, “street food Thursdays”, etc etc - it boiled down to money. The catering company want maximum lunch take up as otherwise it’s almost not viable to provide a hot lunch at all - that means the meals most kids will eat and as cheap as possible. A vegetarian option is still available each day as well - usually macaroni cheese, tomato pasta, cheese pizza or jacket potatoes with cheese and beans. All that happened on “meat free Mondays” was they did two of those options that day instead of one - and lunch take up was lowest on Mondays because of it. Significantly lower - and that’s no affordable.

As it is I wouldn’t be surprised if the menu was just sandwiches and jacket potatoes by next year.

Maybe but its still personal choice.

Whats the difference between having one day where all children have no choice other than something vegetarian and the following day all children only have a choice of something meat based?

I doubt that anyone would be forced to eat meat on that day, unlike the non-vegetarians who have been forced to not eat meat o one day!

Ds is vegetarian and always has been. School lunches are a pain as it is.

Of course no one would be forced to eat meat.. its just its ridiculous the want to control others diet.

Surely they should provide the choice of meat and meat free each day.

Tbh thats fine as long as there is vegetarian for the vegetarians then its fine.

Every school in England didn’t collectively decide on Meat Free days. These directives, as well as the balance of food, is ordained by the DfE.

With a school menu, attempting to fulfil those requirements and making food children want to eat is a challenge that makes you want to lay down and weep.

Multiply that by several hundred kids, SEN kids with sensory requirements, allergies, religious preference, diabetics and coeliac children and children you know full well don’t get to eat healthily or well at home you get a better idea of that challenge.

I can tell you the crowd pleasers are Mac and Cheese, Cauliflower and Broccoli bake, Roasts, and Toad in Hole.

But why? If the dc want to eat meat, and there's a healthy option, why should they be prevented from this because of adults political agendas?

I don’t get why there needs to be a meat free day, everyday there should be both meat based and non meat based options to choose from.

Glenkirie larder glenshee.

campaign to stop ultra processed food in schools and increase choice of fresh local produce.

And why does there need to be a non meat day? How does it impact vegetarians at the school? As long as vegetarians have their options and meat eaters have their options I can’t see why you’re upset. You seem to want ensure there’s a day where meat eaters must adhere to a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Why would lack of meat affect a gluten allergy?

Meat free seems to mean "carbs and fat" here. Not healthy or filling or delicious. They have fishy Friday every week, which is meat free.

My guess- having seen all this from the other side- is that the school found that school meal take up was very low on meat free days, which schools can't afford, so they scrapped it. That's probably the real reason. IME vegetarian / vegan options in schools are pretty poor & take up is very low.

My child is allergic to dairy and eggs so meat free Mondays would be quite restrictive. Veggie options are always covered in cheese and more often than not have some egg in it.

He's not school age yet but I wouldn't be thrilled by meat free Monday. At home he eats lots of fish, but I can't imagine a school serving him sardines or roast salmon as part of veggie Monday.

Can you imagine if we started a meat only day.

there should be choice for all, every day.