School residential vegetarian/vegan only

[vgp1234]

My child had really been looking forward to their year 6 residential, but a new head has joined and had changed the format somewhat.

They have now booked a Sustainability Centre in Hampshire, which only caters for vegetarians and vegans. My child is not a vegetarian or vegan, and across the cohort of year 5 and 6 only one child is vegetarian.

While I appreciate that there is a view that they can go 5 days without meat and they should just suck it up, I find it incredibly frustrating that you would not ask a vegetarian or vegan child to suck it up and eat meat for 5 days. So I don't understand why we do not treat both dietary preferences with equal measure.

The new head is very keen on government guidance, and has changed our lunch menu to comply with the current guidance for school lunches which is that 3 days should include meat or fish (previously we had a meat and vegetarian/vegan option every day). However it seems this guidance only applies on the school site, so you can disregard it at a residential. While they are within their rights to do this, it does seem like quite a contradiction.

I have tried speaking to the Sustainability centre directly but they were very inflexible and just stated it is a against their ethos (may I add that they also offer a day trip at a cost to visit a working farm, who rear animals for meat, so their ethos does not run all that deep). This really goes against my ethos as not only do I think you should treat all groups equally, I can't help but feel that this is forcing their ideas on children verses allowing them free choice and the ability to hear both viewpoints (meat is unsustainable/sustainable) and make their own decision.

In all honesty I'm quite perplexed as to why the school choose the venue when it would clearly be controversial, as this is quite a personal choice for parents and the cohort has so few in it that have this dietary preference.

I'm sure some people will not agree with me, and I am open to your opinions as I'm a big believer in hearing both sides of the argument and our ability to think critically for ourselves and not be told what to think (I want this for my child too).

I do plan to send the school an email initially and request that they provide a rounded menu including meat. But I'd really appreciate any advice on how to word this appropriately as I'm quite upset by it, and I'd prefer to send a well worded email than an emotional one.

@BeHappySloth

Ok but that is your opinion. And it's not your child.

You name call a lot :- hyperbolic, scared, insecure in my choices - now batshit.

Can you not have a difference of opinion without insulting people?

I will repeat again: my kids would be fine and I would send them and they would be fine.

I also have no issue with another parent asking about how this decision was made and how it might impact their child. I don't consider that "batshit".

Why, so you can eat it? It’s probably better quality than the burgers that are every child’s god given right for dinner, to be fair.

Have an antibioticed chicken breast and calm down.

Unfortunately fussy children will struggle with meals on residentials full stop.

Not sure where you got the Quorn thing from, I didn't mention Quorn? It's not the only (or cheapest, or nicest, or healthiest) veggie sausage/burger brand out there.

And what would be the point of raising it with the school? The trip is booked. The venue will not serve meat.

Pathetic

@SwingTheMonkey

The point would be that:

1. other parents might have the same concerns and bookings can be amended
2. If not amendable for this cohort, they might reconsider it for the next

Was assuming they’d put something like that in a vegetarian sausage roll? Or a soup or stew? Could well be wrong.
you’re right about the fussy children. Fortunately DD has long grown out of all fussiness with food.

@KilkennyCats maybe it’s the constipation from boycotting all the vegetables being forced on them?

But the OP doesn't have any concerns! She simply doesn't like the idea of it with no rational argument against it.

That’s really interesting, I thought it was just me. I’ve tried it a couple of times and got stomach ache.
I can imagine the reverse problem too tbh, a non meat eater on a residential. Tricky.

@KittyHigham

Admittedly, I haven't read every single one of OP's posts but I understood her first post to indicate that she was uncomfortable and wanted some help to articulate her concerns and write a considered unemotional communication to school.

She never said she had an argument - she was asking for people's differing opinions that would then help her to clarify her thoughts.

You don't have to have an argument to ask a question, in my view. Starting a discussion can be helpful to clarify what exactly it is that underpins your concerns.

Not everyone can eat quorn

We don't ever eat food like that at home, so the style of the cooking and the texture of the fake meat

I'm not strictly vegetarian but I've been cooking vegetarian and vegan meals all my life. I've never used quorn and fake meat.

The ignorance on this thread about non meat cooking and a non meat diet is breathtaking.

Amend the booking?! I don’t think you understand the work that goes into organising a residential. Or how far in advance these things need to be booked.

There may be other, equally pathetic, parents who can’t bear for little Taylor to not eat burgers for 5 days, but there will be a probably larger number of parents who have absolutely no problem with a vegetarian menu. A complaint would be a waste of time and would make you a laughing stock in the staff room.

Nothing, but dumping too much new on them at one time can mean they don't eat properly, don't sleep, feel exhausted and ill and generally don't have a good experience. Which is obviously counterproductive in a trip that's supposed to be a fun treat fostering independence.

When our school take them on residential in year 6 they are instructed to take a teddy with them. Not that most year 6 need a teddy but it gives them something familiar from home. The food is similarly familiar school lunch type stuff. Which yes included some veggie meals and some not.

They may well do a wonderful spinach and bean curry but we've had kids round we can barely persuade to eat homemade pizza because it's not what they're used to. The first priority with what may be their first trip away is them having a good time, not making them eat spinach. Do that in cookery lessons, do it in later residentials once they're more confident.

It’s like nobody has had any experience of veggie food since the 1980s. I’m not even a vegetarian and I know that really good vegetarian food exists and very few vegetarians eat quorn or Linda McCartney sausages.

@SwingTheMonkey

I am fully aware of the work that goes into organising a residential, thank you. Fully active parent volunteer with a lot of residential trip experience under my belt but thank you for calling me pathetic (or insinuating that I am pathetic).

You missed the point where I mentioned that if the decision is unpopular they might reconsider for the next cohort.

It would be so nice if people could make their points without insulting others.

Of all the mad arguments against being vegetarian this has to be right up there!

Keep your kids away from veggie camp lest they come a cropper on the stairs!

There was no insult, you are extremely over sensitive.

And being a parent volunteer in no way gives you any insight into the planning and preparation that goes into a residential, by members of staff. Unless of course you were invited to all the relevant meetings?

She's only written one reply plus the original post...

She did have an argument. It was that it was unfair to meat eaters to have a vegetarian diet imposed on them for 5 days.

@SwingTheMonkey

I was indeed invited to the meetings because at the time I was working as a paid staff member.

I am not "extremely over sensitive". You are just very opinionated, a bit rude, and not able to accept that other people have different views and experiences.

Edited to clarify that one the trips I was working as a "volunteer" rather than my main Finance job, I also had no safeguarding lead responsibility etc, I called myself a parent volunteer as DD was on the trip, and I was invited to meetings because I work in Finance as STAFF so was heavily involved in the costing/booking and planning of the trip. Sorry posted too soon.

Because veganism is a protected belief under the human rights laws. Being a meat eater isn't. Your child will be fine for 5 days or just don't don't send them if they can't live without a chicken nugget for less than a week .

OP and outraged others could do what the mums did in the Jamie Oliver healthy eating campaign. Find a gap in the fence of the residential accommodation and sneak burgers to your kids. Go for it! Make your kids proud!

76% say you are being unreasonable. I’d love a trip like this for my kids. You’re in the minority. Kids need to learn about eating less meat and the centre look also amazing with great reviews including food. It’s an amazing and experience. Surely there are many veggie options everybody will enjoy. Pizza, pasta, jackets….

OP hasn't been back since her second post. Give up, people!

I bet the kids won't even notice the food is lacking flesh.

So encouraging resilience isn't one of your parental goals?