to think that you really should not be a cook in a primary school if...

[QOFEisinatizz]

a) you are unable to understand the concept of 'vegetarian'

and b) you don't even actually cook anything, but order it from a catering service and then reheat and serve it

My friend was telling me that her DS started school in september, and has school meals. She explained on the form that he has a vegetarian diet (ie, no meat, no fish - hardly complex), and had a call the next day from the 'cook' to say she would need to go in once every three weeks to point out what her DS can eat from the menu the food is ordered from. The menu which marks the vegetarian options clearly!

Why the hell is this person entrusted with the nutrition of primary school children? In what way are they a cook?

I would think that she asked because many people call themselves vegetarians and then say 'but i eat chicken'. Others say 'you should know i only eat raw food'...

I too ask when i have guests and i know very well the basics.

Sorry Cat64,
just read the rest of the posts and i see that i repead what you have said

At our school the food is cooked on the premises fresh every day. I see the cooks preparing it when I drop the kids off. They et really well for 2 quid a day.

They expect the mother to go in every time the next three weeks' meals are being ordered to show them what to order for him.

This is despite being told repeatedly that he is a straightforward no-meat-or-fish vegetarian, and despite the menu clearly stating with a bright green V what the day's vegetarian option is.

Apparently her DS is the only child in the school that the vegetarian option is ordered in for.

I just don't get why the cook can't see for herself where the green V is and then order that option

Maybe she wants to ensure variety?

If she/whoever is responsible for this idea wants to ensure variety in the child's diet, I assume they insist all parents come in to pre-select their children's food?

It's daft. It may well not be the cook's idea, but if it is, then being low paid doesn't excuse her from not knowing how to do her job properly (and identifying the correct vegetarian option for a conventional vegetarian comes within my definition of doing her job properly). Cleaners don't earn much but you'd expect them to know how to clean etc etc.

I just thought variety is more important in the diet of a vegetarian child.
Anyway i 'm not sure. It was just an idea. I wouldn't call someone else's post daft but..never mind.

I meant the idea of bringing the parent to the school for this purpose was daft.

The use of a paragraph break was designed to notify of a change of subject(ie that I was now addressing the OP) and the rest of the second paragraph made my meaning quite clear, I think. But as you say, never mind.

Ok. I am over-sensitive today .
I ve read your post again and i was wrong. Sorry

That's OK. I am over snippy. Sorry.

I have a child on free school meals, and he gets NO choice (nor do children with a normal diet). It is a case in our school that 'this is monday wk 1's dinner'. Children who don't like it have the option of moaning at their-- parents getting their parents to provide a packed lunch. It's on a 3 week timetable, and what I have found is that the portion size is too large for children in reception, just right for around Y2/3, and faaaaar too small by Y6. They change the timetable mid-year, about easter, and that's when I have to go in to discuss variations on DS1's food and help draw up a menu with the cook. So, twice a year, September and Easter. As she has no idea how to provide anything other than a Jacket potato for my son. every day. Which I found unacceptable. I do have to provide the school with some things i.e. GF gravy and GF yorkshire puddings (they have roast once a week).

I think that all lunchtime staff should get better training so that they understand about vegetarianism and other special diets.

My dds are veggie and on 2 occasions dd1 was served meat; she said that she told the dinner lady she was vegetarian but the dinner lady didn't believe her . Why would a 5 year old lie about being vegetarian? Veggie children are supposed to be given stickers by their class teacher before lunch but the teachers sometimes forget.

When I was in hospital after having DS we went to the ward canteen for tea. The lady in front aksed if there was anything vegetarian left. The cook/server lady ummed and ahhed for a minute and then said 'there's an halal lamb curry if that's OK'

I hate that DD's school brings it its food - it wasnt like that when i went there! DD lasted a week having school dinners she now has packed lunches which imo isnt great in the cold weather

I think the cook in question has to make sure that the choices are correct, I imagine that someone fed a child some non vegetarian food and someone kicked up a fuss with the LEA. Hence the over zealousness now.

To be honest once every 3 weeks is not too much of a burden is it? If she can't make it in surely they can email the menu to her and she can email back choices.

My dd's old junior school (not a particularly good school) years ago had a brilliant dinner menu - all cooked on site, meat and milk sourced from local farms (this was in deepest Devon) and healthy and appetising choices. This was all well before Jamie O. I know schools like this are few and far between, though.