to think schools should allow flexibility between packed lunches and school meals?

[NameChanger206]

My child’s primary school had just implemented a policy which asks parents to choose either packed lunch or school meals, with no option to switch day to day (previously we could). It’s in quite a deprived area, and while some days the school lunch options are fine, other days they really aren’t great and many kids simply won’t eat— and I don’t think it’s fair to expect parents to fund a packed lunch every day when free school meals are available in KS1 for all, any many in KS2 too.

Surely it would make sense to allow a bit of flexibility — for example, letting children have school meals on certain days (especially if they’re entitled to free meals) and bring packed lunches on others?

I understand they need to plan catering numbers, but this feels unnecessarily rigid, especially given how tight finances are for many families right now.

AIBU to think schools should show a bit more flexibility here?

It would be helpful to know if others have this flexibility!

My children had to book a week ahead and could pick days with ine catering company.

The next catering company didng let you pick days.

The flexibility you describe sounds like a nightmare for those in charge of the actual logistics. You would have to have people let you know which they wanted on which day far enough in advance. Anytime you ask people to do something such as fill in a form about which dinners they want on which day you automatically get people who don't do it at all, do it wrong, want to change after it's been submitted etc etc

Ours you turned up on the day and gave your menu choice or packed lunch option with the register.

its for the convenience of the catering company so they can ensure that they maximise custom.

So for the whole term/year they have to have one or the other? That’s ridiculous and I say that as a teacher of 40+ years. I’ve never come across that in any school I’ve taught in or any that my children or grandchildren attend.
Currently in the school my 2 youngest grandchildren attend it’s week at a time, so on Mondays they have to say if they are dinners or packed lunches on each of the days - they can choose either on any day.
That must be really difficult for parents and children at your school to manage - are other parents unhappy? Nothing at schools is ever set in stone so maybe you should let your feelings known?

At mine school meals must be booked in advance, but you pick which days and can pack lunch any individual day instead. Lots with free meals just book every day and then send in a lunch box as well on days the kids don't like the food. Some kids eat the whole school plus their packed lunch. Others pick the bits of meal they like and then top up with their packed.

We used to have to decided half term by half term and it was all packed or all lunches.
We now have to submit choices by Saturday for the following week, no choices submitted no meal provided either for Free or paid lunches.
Chopping and changing daily would be a nightmare for catering and expensive, the funding for the free school meals is complex and based on census day lunch take up - school fund the difference - families are not the only element who do not have a lot of spare cash.

We book for a week in advance. Works fine.

Wow I never knew this was a thing. Every primary school I have had experience of you pick school dinners or packed lunch and stick with it.

I think this will have the opposite effect going by the parent chat - many feel they need to provide a packed lunch full time for fear their kids will not each anything 1-2 days per week.

Our school you just have to book via an app before midnight for the next day if you want a school dinner. You can change your previously chosen choice too, so long as it's before midnight.

We also don't pay until the day they have it either, so if I were to for some reason send DD in with a packed lunch on a day I'd ordered a meal and she didn't have it, I wouldn't be charged.

It is due to catering costs and how much they need to provide and if they are able to get the products they need in a reasonable time frame.

You just pick on the day at the school my child has just left. They say packed lunch or school dinner when their name is called out on the register.

It's a small school though so there is no choice. Everyone having a school dinner eats the same thing (or the vegetarian version of it)

So they just need to provide advance notice it’s fish and chips on census day? ;)

On census day our school really publicises that they get more funding if more people have school meal that day, it's free for everyone, and it's something like burger and chips to get maximum uptake!

We can choose and make changes up until the night before.

I don't know why that is ok in our school but not others.

Yes many parents are unhappy. Just wanted to get an idea if this is the norm and we are wasting our time trying to argue with the policy change.

Imagine how difficult it must be got the catering company then

We have to order each week, a week in advance, so by Sunday evening for the week 7 days ahead. We can pick which days have each week to week but once submitted it can't be changed. Unless on a medical menu (allergies etc) then have to order a whole half term ahead, but can still mix up dinners with packed lunches.

Our school its one or the other. I have one in KS1 and take advantage of the free school meals. The other in KS2 had the choice and chose packed lunches which to be fair is far cheaper than £2.85 for the school meals. Isn’t an issue at our school however i suppose we know no different the parents just pick which works best and go from there

We used to get the choice each day. We had to hand in a little ticket

Our school, you decide each day based on the menu. Ridiculous to just be one or the other the whole time.

Yes we’d be happy with this - I.e. no short notice changes, decide a week in advance etc. But if a child is not going to eat the options on a particular day, surely the parent should be allowed to provide them a sandwich?

Mine were school dinners or packed lunch decided termly (or maybe half termly?) back when my now Uni aged children were in Primary School. I've never known it any other way tbh.

Flexibilty would be fabulous, but the admin must be a nightmare.

Ours is booked on the day, full flexibility up to around 8am on the day on choosing packed lunch or school dinner, so yes I would find this a pain being so fixed. Reality is I tend to book 2-3 weeks at a time but it is really handy being able to change it for last minute things