Changing school menu without updating meal website / informing parents

[Slightyamusedandsilly]

DC's school changed the company they use for school lunches about a year and a half ago (to cut the amount of admin for the school, due to the different systems used).

The new menus aren't great but it is what it is. 95% of the time my DC takes a packed lunch. But occasionally there will be something on the menu that I know they'd eat so I book a school lunch. It's not at all about the cost. It's about a borderline ARFID (avoidant / restrictive food intake disorder)
child not going hungry and the knock-on effect on concentration.

Given that they only have a school lunch on average of once a month (or 8 or 9 times since the new company came in), at least half of those times, the menu item has been substituted for something else (cheaper) that I know my DC won't eat and I wouldn't have ordered.

With the old company, if they made a change, parents got an email. New company don't inform anyone.

What this means is that if my DC doesn't like the food, they just don't eat. They honestly would rather starve than eat something they don't like. When we have tried to enforce it at home before, they vomit (spectacularly on the table once as a 4 year old). I know of at least one other child in my DC's class that will also go without eating if they don't like the food, so I know DC isn't alone in this.

Am I being unreasonable to think that this isn't acceptable? I know changes need to be made. But they set those menus weeks in advance. If a product isn't in stock, they must know. Surely they should at the very least change the menu online even if they're not going to let parents know?

Schools are actually incentivised to go with the cheapest provider which is really sad. School meals are pretty shocking in this country

I totally get stock control can be an issue. But they must know the day/the morning before if they have the stock needed in school. So just change the website. I check the site in the mornings DC is booked for school lunch. On the day in question, the meal I'd ordered was still on the site at 6.30pm so they just didn't update. It's literally a company providing meals. They don't do anything else. A bit like a restaurant making a substitution to the menu, but never informing the customer.

In DC's schools case, it was about reducing the school admin needed for lunches. The system is supposedly totally automated so the school themselves do nothing. Parents order online, pay online. The children go to the counter in class order, there is a screen with the classes names on and the children press their name in order to get the choice they've ordered (on the staff side I presume it then displays the child's menu choice). I don't even think the school staff know what the children have ordered.

The meals aren't any cheaper than the old company. Just a lot worse!

Oh I sympathise.

My now 15 year old has sensory issues around food and also will vomit if a texture feels off. (On one glorious occasion all over my mother who had just crowed how she had been able to make him eat a piece of banana).

You want your kids to experience 'normal' life as much as possible, and often eating the same food with their peers (rather than a packed lunch) can also help.

TBH I am not one for talking to the school about every little thing, but i think changing a menu that is set in advance and has to be ordered by you in advance is a justifiable reason- and for me would come under 'reasonable adjustments'. Maybe the school will just tell the company to not make substituions unless completely unavoidable.

I can see why this would be very annoying for you, I think id just give up on trying to get the school lunches and stick with the packed lunch. For most people, the children would just eat the alternative lunch and the parents probably don't want to be bothered getting another email. Obviously when they plan the meals weeks in advance they don't know what they can get in by the time that menu is up.

@Pepsi4Eva, I've contacted the company before about this and nothing changed. They're clearly not invested in improving things despite having really low uptake of school meals. I suspect most of the children having school lunch are those on free school meals. Anyone paying would just do packed lunch because a lot of the time the choices aren't worth the cost. Half a jacket potato on one memorable occasion!

@Eenameenadeeka, I've been on the company website and cancelled all the lunches I'd booked on 'acceptable food days'. DC is a bit sad about never having a hot lunch, but if they don't eat it, there's no point. At least if I send food in they will eat a little bit.

As the parent of DC who have a limited diet due to SEND, I hear you. It's frustrating. My life would be easier if my DC could have school dinners but it just doesn't work for them.

As someone who works in a school, I also see it from the other side. When it comes to choosing catering companies it's not a question of who is 'best", schools are often in a position of having to choose between a shit company and a slightly less shit company. We've had no end of problems.
The Admin associated with school dinners is considerable. Our budgets are fucked and many schools have been faced with a choice of losing Admin staff or losing Teachers and TA's, so I can certainly see the attraction (or in some cases the necessity) of going with a caterer who takes over responsibility for all those admin tasks.

Get a grip.

You really are ( eye roll 🙄) THAT parent…

And you really have no idea about ARFID

Of course YANBU. The ability to choose and select exists for a reason and not sticking to the menu defeats the purpose. I completely agree with you that if the option isn't available then parents should be notified. That's the system the school has signed up for and that is the system you should be getting. Ultimately the schools and local authorities should be on their case to get their act together.

Ah thanks. Child is autistic and has a whole range of other SEN. But of course, a random on MN knows better than a paediatrician and 2 educational psychologists. Best you start making some money off your deductive skillzzzzzz.

I do actually. Please go away

You really really sound so aggressive/ stressed / tired /possibly perimenopausal and , more importantly, in need of real life advice and guidance.
Throwing out accusations is a bit lame and not even remotely correct because you know nothing about MNs backgrounds or anything.. ( I’m thirty odd years trained and a specialist working with children and also those with SEN)

I suggest you speak to a family doctor/ support worker.

Someone who can support and understand your individual needs in RL.

Good luck 🤞

IstilloveKingThistle
Quote….“You really really sound so aggressive/ stressed / tired /possibly perimenopausal and , more importantly, in need of real life advice and guidance.
Throwing out accusations is a bit lame and not even remotely correct because you know nothing about MNs backgrounds or anything.. ( I’m thirty odd years trained and a specialist working with children and also those with SEN)
I suggest you speak to a family doctor/ support worker.
Someone who can support and understand your individual needs in RL.”

Rude…!
IF you have all those years of experience, you’d know one size doesn’t fit all, as a lowly LSA, even I know this!!

It is almost always avoidable. And if it’s. It avoidable it’s possible to inform parents. I eat school lunch every day and I’d say it’s once or twice per year it is changed.

It would be reasonable to contact school to ask that the catering company inform parents, even if the change is ‘last minute’. If your child is Sen ask the SENCo to reiterate that this is necessary. But tbh it is fair to all children. Not just Sen. I’d be annoyed, as an adult, if I was expecting one thing and it wasn’t available without notice.

Not rude at all.
And .. LSA’s are worth their weight in gold ❤️

In response to someone saying I was making things up about my DC, despite having official diagnoses?

OK, if you say so.

They are feeding an entire school. It’s nit all about your one child. Just give them a packed lunch.

They're actually only feeding about a 1/3 of the school now because so many parents have pulled their children from school lunch.

My guess is they'll offer invitations to tender bids for the contract when the current one ends.

Oh god, the memories! I had this with one of mine. Chicken mayo wrap - might eat it. Carton of juice - would drink it but it’s just full of shit. Biscuit - would eat but more shit. Banana - might eat it, might not; one of those bloody things went into school and back home like a yo-yo one week. Hummus pot and cracker - might eat them. 😕

Same DC is an adult and will try nearly anything now.

Honestly, I eat the lunch box bread and fruit myself most evening. I used to throw them away, but over the course of the week, that was a pack of rolls and half a fruit bowl!

You are coming across as deeply unpleasant here, was that your intent?