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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

273 replies

AngeloMysterioso · 19/09/2025 09:58

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?

OP posts:
MidnightPatrol · 19/09/2025 10:08

bitterexwife · 19/09/2025 10:05

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

How often does the menu change?

Son you chose 75 meals in one go (assuming 5 weeks x 5 days x 3 children?

Do you actually chose based on their preferences or do all three get the same thing?

Parker231 · 19/09/2025 10:10

For primary we got a menu at the start of each term. There was no choice other than those with medical dietary needs.

Beatmeonthebottomwiththewomansweekly · 19/09/2025 10:10

scrivette · 19/09/2025 10:03

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.

Ours you can order up to 8.50am that morning. Or do a term at a time, or anything in between. I think it’s a great system.

Original poster
AngeloMysterioso · 19/09/2025 10:13

My kid is only in year 1, we didn’t have to do this when he was in reception and KS1 get free school lunches so there been no payment necessary so far.

OP posts:
NoisyLittleOtter · 19/09/2025 10:13

I’ve been doing this for my 3 for the past 7 years. If they only let them know there preferences at school at registration how do the school make sure they’ve got the right quantity of each meal?

MyIvyGrows · 19/09/2025 10:14

Honestly this is the one aspect of modern primary schools that I actually like - I wish there wasn’t a different app for lunches, payments, homework and absences, but it’s better than the alternative.

DS is a very picky eater so approaching it day by day, with limited options and an offer of a small packed lunch (to supplement with yoghurts or strawberries or something school don’t have) is really useful.

TheAmusedQuail · 19/09/2025 10:14

Yep. AND their menu is crap in comparison to the old one. And the meat products they serve are all UPF pulp frankenfoods.

AllFadestoBlack · 19/09/2025 10:15

We get to choose online a few weeks in advance so we'll make the choices for the available weeks.

I check what we've ordered for the week ahead on a Sunday and write the lunches on our weekly planner. Sometimes my DD will change her mind so I'll then update the app. It's just part of our routine now, works well for us.

Maybe set a reminder/alarm to choose each week. I have alarms for lots of things!

5foot5 · 19/09/2025 10:16

MidnightPatrol · 19/09/2025 10:04

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.

Show quote history

When I was at primary the head teacher rang the central kitchen in the morning to tell them how many dinners were required that day and that is how many were sent. No choice, we all ate the same thing! Well apart from one boy who was diabetic so would sometimes be sent something different.

LadyDanburysHat · 19/09/2025 10:16

We picked meals weekly using an envelope system, envelope with menu for the week, tick boxes and payment inside, when my eldest started school 18 years ago, we then moved to parentpay and did it online. Now the only child I have left in school is in high school and we just top up a payment card.

BrightLightTonight · 19/09/2025 10:17

But with your “mental load” you are not too busy to open MN’s and write a post. Life must be tough!

Navigatinglife100 · 19/09/2025 10:17

When you think about this logically it does make sense.

How often did you run like hell out of classes to get to the front of the dinner queue so you got your choice of meal and not whatever no one else wanted? Or, if you didn't, I bet there was a huge wastage issue.

Preordained makes perfect sense. Just think yourself lucky it's not Ryanair and you have to pay a supplement for the privilege

Everyonelikesam · 19/09/2025 10:18

How do you think it should be organised?

Do you expect the school to have unlimited supplies of every meal choice, so even the last child to be served gets what they want? Should the school then throw the unused food away?

Or would you prefer it that the first ones to be served get their choice of meal and the children coming after that just have to have whatever’s left, whether they like it or not?

spanieleyes · 19/09/2025 10:18

For KS1 in particular,where there is universal free school meals, There will usually be a “ default dinner” so if you can’t be bothered to go on and select what your child likes, they will automatically get the default.

SolIy · 19/09/2025 10:19

Don’t you have a direct debit set up for the childcare fees?

CopperWhite · 19/09/2025 10:19

How do you expect it to be paid for?

Do you think that they should make enough of everything so that every child can choose on the day, and pay for the resulting waste, just because you can’t be bothered to do something small to sort out your kids lunches? Get over yourself.

Pharazon · 19/09/2025 10:19

MidnightPatrol · 19/09/2025 10:06

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!

We don't have this at secondary and never had it in juniors or infants either. We pay on to the accounts and get a reminder if running low - child chooses what they want at lunch time. The idea of pre-choosing lunch a week ahead strikes me as bizarre, some days they are hungry, some days not, some days in a rush for an activity. Sometimes DS has his 'lunch' at morning break and just a coffee at lunchtime due to activities.

Thepeopleversuswork · 19/09/2025 10:19

I don't mind pre-ordering and it would be easy once you got the hang of it but the fucking app mission creep drives me nuts.

It's impossible to deal with any company or organisation these days without having to fill up your phone with more and more apps (all of which require numerous passwords).

Why can't it just be done via a website or email?

jjjjhabavab · 19/09/2025 10:21

Do you struggle with organisation?

MrsMariaReynolds · 19/09/2025 10:21

My DS left primary school years ago, and even when he started, this was the done thing. Not necessarily on an app at first but certainly pre-ordered online. Surely it's not going to take that long to do once it's set up. The rest of your laundry list of to-dos seems like normal life with kids. Choices made.

Upsetbetty · 19/09/2025 10:22

Surely having it all at your fingertips makes it easier?? if you can take time to try to post on here you can take time to water lunches online. Count yourself lucky, my DC’s school doesn’t even have school lunches, so I have to pack a lunch every the morning.

Pharazon · 19/09/2025 10:22

Thepeopleversuswork · 19/09/2025 10:19

I don't mind pre-ordering and it would be easy once you got the hang of it but the fucking app mission creep drives me nuts.

It's impossible to deal with any company or organisation these days without having to fill up your phone with more and more apps (all of which require numerous passwords).

Why can't it just be done via a website or email?

I deliberately do not deal with any company or organisation that is "app-only". I am NOT doing any admin or business peering at tiny letters on a tiny screen. If they don't have a website I simply won't use them, and I let them know.

Upsetbetty · 19/09/2025 10:23

Pharazon · 19/09/2025 10:22

I deliberately do not deal with any company or organisation that is "app-only". I am NOT doing any admin or business peering at tiny letters on a tiny screen. If they don't have a website I simply won't use them, and I let them know.

Show quote history

Why would you be so deliberately obtuse? The world moves on you have to move with it unfortunately…

Crunchienuts · 19/09/2025 10:23

Still better than making packed lunches! I made 3 this morning because they never want school lunches.

InTheWindow · 19/09/2025 10:24

We did this from DD starting school. Did a month at a time, note what she’s ordered or if she needs a packed lunch, put it up on our whiteboard and send a copy to XH. Found it annoying at first, but actually means one daily chore is already sorted. School still found her something to eat when her dad forgot a couple of times. We are in Scotland so no payment till P6. She takes a packed lunch everyday now as the quality of lunches has dropped.