Fucking hell, we have to download an app and pre-order school lunches now?!

[AngeloMysterioso]

I have 3 DC, the eldest of which is in primary school. They’ve changed school lunch suppliers this year and now we have to download an app, set up an account and pre-order our children’s meals. I’ve just been sent an email reminder because I hadn’t got round to doing it since the letter went out last Friday because my mental load is already pretty heavily loaded, what with dentist appointments, swimming lessons, birthday parties, after school clubs, hospital appointments, paying the childcare fees, sorting packed lunches, and bloody everything else you can think of.

I’m like… seriously? As if I don’t have enough fucking family admin to do, now this? What happened to kids just queuing up and asking for what they want?

That seems normal to me, how did you do it before?

Is it school grid? It might seem a pain but it’s honestly a 30 second job.

Our Alexa reminds us every Sunday evening and we do it then.

Isn't that a simple thing to do ?

Sorry but YABU. Pre ordering saves waste and ensures appropriate amounts of food is used, what if everyone wants the tomato pasta and no one wants the chicken curry? How can the cooks anticipate that?

The things were you listed are all part of being an adult with children. Surely you realised this when you had 3 DC?

We've had to do this since day one of primary school, and my son's doing GCSEs now. Think yourself lucky you've avoided it for this long!

Seriously, it is a bit of a pain but you'll get used to it. My kids eventually started reminding me (once they've been without a meal a few times...)!

Better than having to deals with cash and cheques.

We’ve done this at my children’s school for at least the last 6 years, I thought it was pretty standard.

At our school, the children order their own each morning. Parents can go online and order for them if they want, and the children can’t override it.

Is there any way your DC can do the “leg work” - the choosing itself with weekly reminders set, once the app is downloaded?

I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a single parent and have to do everything, but I would have thought this would be easier than going to get cash out every week?

I like it that...because in our school it means you can pick which days you have school dinners or packed lunches rather than having to decide for a whole half term.
DH gets the DC to look at the menu for the week on the app on Sundays and then decide how many days they want packed lunch/school dinners.

I would hate this and so would my DC - what they choose for lunch might depend on the day! They are asked at morning registration what they would like for that day which cuts down on waste.

It reduces waste and ensures payment. If it’s anything like my children’s primary school they can barely find a supplier willing to take the contract and with rising wages and food costs means that it’s struggling to be financially sustainable. They will be trying to cut costs, part of which involves not cooking more than will be eaten. Plus it’s good for the environment. Get a grip, if you can prioritise clubs and birthday parties you can spend a minute a week on an app. Or make packed lunches.

This would do my head in.

Our kids school sends a menu calendar every term to tell you what they are having. If they don't like it they can choose a jacket potato or sandwich on the day. Job done.

Ours order in the morning and then the appropriate amounts are made in a central kitchen then it’s shipped out to all the prinary schools. Ordering the night before seems like a real faff tbh.

When I was at school if you were on a late sitting you just got what was left.

So - no leftovers.

It’s a school cafeteria not a restaurant.

DC1 is in secondary and throughout her primary school, we had to order online. I do one term at a time as that’s when it’s open, takes less than 5 minutes to do. DC2 is in a different primary school and we have to do the same thing, order for the term and you set a reminder to order for the next term during the school holiday.

I do it via IFG school meals for three children in primary school. I do the whole half term at once. It’s pretty simple

I'd hate this too OP. Just another thing to add to the list of 'to do'.

Same, more or less. We get the menu for the next week on Fridays. Works for us.

Up to what age are parents expected to do this?

I’d have thought it was a good part of learning to be independent to choose their meals…? And how do they know who gets what on the day - that seems as much faffing about as waiting for them to choose.

Seems like unnecessary additional parental admin. I can’t imagine my parents would have had the first clue what I ate at school!

This has been the case at our primary for at least the last 10 years.

I wish my kids school allowed this; I hate not knowing what my kids have had especially due to dietary requirements and them making a “mix up” 🙄 would be so much easier if we could do this to avoid that!

This seems a lot.
We get the weekly menu emailed out in the previous week's newsletter. We then look at it over the weekend and decide if DS will have packed lunch or school dinner, then in the morning register they tell the teacher if they're a school dinner or packed lunch.

I've never had to pre-order anything before!