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.

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
Why would you think the centre is on a mission to get children to eat spinach? They're focused on sustainability. They're modelling an approach to living that lessens their impact on the environment. If they earn money from school trips they will be well versed in what kids like to eat because unhappy clients are not in their best interests.

I wonder if there's a moderate cost savings here as well. We're absolutely stretched to our limit at our school and the costs of the residentials (the coaches especially!) have really gone up. I think if they told us we could save £50/child per week if they ate veggie we would jump at it.

Regardless: OP I've been on these residentials, and even at the nicer places, the food tends to be quite beige (and the nicer places will have a salad bar area which ticks a lot of boxes in case anyone questions the beigeness!). A bolognese sauce will have the bare minimum of some grade of meat in it, for example. You can make a very passable veggie spag bol and if you used veggie mince in it they wouldn't even notice.

Add that to the usual items on the menu mac and cheese, cheese pizza, baked potato with beans, veggie curry with rice etc, I think the only time it would really stand out that it was meatless is at breakfast with no bacon. Oh and no tuna for sandwiches/ potatoes.

@Montezuma

I am quite happy to be in the minority because it is in line with my beliefs about inclusivity, polite and considered communication and individual decision making.

If you had bothered to read my other posts you would see that I have mentioned several times that not only would I send my kids, they would be fine.

I just respect that other people may have different views.

If that makes me a minority then so be it!

I wouldn't be happy. My kid has anaemia and an endocrine issue and does not tolerate iron supplements well. Its really important she gets enough iron and her dietician has always said haem (animal source) iron is much more bio available than non haem.

Children should be fed the most broad, nutritious, unrestricted diet possible.

Omnivores can eat vegetarian food, so the venue is catering for those individuals. They might prefer chicken nuggets, but they can eat whatever is being offered perfectly well.

Could it be thst the school needed to find a centre that was available at the tight time (considering their own staff commitments, availability and school calendar) and at a manageable price, and it also hapoens to be vegan?

Absolutely not true. Digestion is a combination of you and your gut flora, after being vegetarian for a material period your gut microbial population changes, hence you would experience very unpleasant symptoms if you suddenly ate meat. Not saying you wouldn’t get over it eventually, but it wouldn’t be nice.

Oh and don't kid yourself they will offer up lovely interesting, varied veggie food . They know loads of the kids won't like that, plus will not be able to offer nuts, and will offer a veggie version of upf - tofu nuggets, veggie burgers & sausages. Eggs are expensive so you will find there won't be much of them in large quantities or they will be powdered, same with milk.

Well if that really is their operating policy, not eating the cheat shite they’d serve as meat can only be a good thing??

And what's your expert nutritional analysis of the average meat-providing school residential locations?

Its absolutely fascinating to witness the angry reactions of some people to such an unthreatening scenario.

If it’s about expense they’re more likely to stick to big batches of veg/beans/lentil based plus cheap carb rather than tofu etc which is far more expensive. (And if it’s about expense I dread to think about what the provenance of any meat-based alternative might be . . . )

From looking at it online (it is easy to find) I don’t think it is

the food looks good. Indeed were it not for the fact the B&B is shared bathrooms DD and I would love to stay there the Meon Valley is lovely!

DS is fussy v fussy and I think he could eat the breakfast, have a plain sandwich for lunch with snacks and then bread and dessert for dinner

This place is just down the road from where I live and it’s such a great place! I’ve been there a few times for some of the adult courses they run! Your child will learn so much from a team of very enthusiastic and kind people. It’ll be worth it for a few days of no meat and experiencing something different!

YANBU

As someone with a medically confirmed reactions to milk, soya and wheat I really struggle on vegetarian and vegan diets.

Prior to my this I was vegetarian then vegan for many years, and in principle support living in these principles - but unless I live off lentils and beans am unable to myself.

Which is perfectly possible on a vegetarian diet.

Im sure all documented medical issues will be catered for.

And if the OP's dc had those medical issues she would be reasonable in speaking to both the school and the centre to ensure her dc's dietry needs would be catered for. But your dietry needs are not a reason for the OP to object. Nor is it a reason for the school not to go.

As numerous posters have said, those with medically restricted diets should inform the school and discuss their needs. The school and venue need to consider how to.meet those needs within what the venue can offer.

As a wholly vegetarian and vegan caterer i think it very likely that they have expertise in accommodating genuine dietary requirements (not 'if my child wants a beef burger you must give them a beef burger') within their menu offer. And if they can't meet them might well be able to facilitate specific needs e.g. by providing refrigeration and reheating for food provided by the family.

But this won't apply to the majority of pupils attending. Protein, vitamin or iron deficiencies will not strike within 5 days - even if a vegetarian diet lacked those elements (and there is no reason why it would).

You have valid reasons for needing to stick to an omnivorous diet.

The issue is the abysmal ignorance displayed on this thread from posters who must only eat a very basic diet of meat and two veg (although I'm not even sure if they eat the veg) and who must never eat any kind of meal that doesn't contain meat.

No pizza or pasta, no risotto, no eggs, no desserts, no baked beans, no quiche, no baked potatoes with cheese and beans, no macaroni cheese, no spaghetti with tomato sauce, no vegetable curries, no omelettes, no breakfast without bacon or sausages, no mushroom stroganoff, no Greek courgette fritters, no spanakopita, no vegetable biryani - OK, I'm showing off now.

Glad to hear it 🥳

I'm always surprised how, on these threads there are people hardwired to believe a meal is only a meal with meat in it. The crappy processed meat in school meals is gross - hopefully a trip to a sustainability farm will help the future generations to be a bit more imaginative about food and cooking, and planetary health.

Just popping in to say more people are allergic to quorn than any other allergen. And if your intolerant; your a few quorn batches away from actual allergy. Reactions increase in severity quite rapidly according to studies. It’s very little known. But quite a rabbit hole if you’re interested. I have been questioning whether I should allow my children to eat it tbh.

OP you are being ridiculous. It's a few days! Absolute nonsense you are speaking,

Omnivores can eat that food but they should not have to unless they choose to. Virtue signaling vegans and vegetarians should stay in their lane and not expect omnivores to bend to their will. .

It’s just food. How is it virtue signalling?For goodness sake the vast majority of the world would be grateful for a weeks worth of food.

No virtue signalling here. I am an omnivore, but I enjoy vegetarian food equally. I just don't have a narrow minded view about food like some of the posters on this thread.