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Original poster

******************School dinner dilema.****************

12 replies

Beauregard · 19/02/2007 20:56

Hi i was wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem or if anyone could advise me as to what the best course of action.

Well i packed dd1 off to school this morning and went and paid for her school dinners for the week.I return home from work tonight and find dp really annoyed because dd1 has told him that for her lunch she was given dry pasta,dry baked potato and sweetcorn.Now she has been having school meals for sometime and i have heard rumours from some of the parents as to why their dc dont have school meals.They have said that as the older children get to go for their meals first by the time the reception children get there ,they are just given what is left.Obviously i am not able to see this for myself but she has come home on several occasions and when asked about lunch has revealed some pretty dire meal conncoctions(sp?)
To be honest i am pretty about this ,i mean i pay for her to have hot and healthy meals with some choice and she is being fed left overs.
Obviously i am going to ask for a refund on the rest of the weeks meals but what is the best course of action to take with regard to complaining?any choice words?

OP posts:
TrinityRhino · 19/02/2007 20:59

I understand your anger but....and I'm not trying to be mean or accuse anything but are you sure that you can believe what dd1 is saying

please don't jump down my throat because I have a 6 yr old and I would be the first to say that she ALWAYS tells the truth but when she started sachool she no longer did and when asked what she had for lunch she would usually ssay I can't reme,ber and if pushed on other days would say something that I knew wasn't true and sounded bizarre. (I knew it wasn't true because we have a sheet that tells us what they have, they ahve a four weekly cyclic rota thingy for lunches)so could she be just saying anything on days when she can't remember?

Original poster
Beauregard · 19/02/2007 21:01

No i appreciate that dd wont always be telling the truth but to be honest i do believe her.She is pretty good when it comes to food as she loves to eat.

OP posts:
Furball · 19/02/2007 21:07

I experienced this too when ds was in reception. The menus looked quite healthy and it said you must choose one from here 2 x veg only chips on a friday etc etc. my ds would have a bread roll, chips and spahetti hoops (which the children are told is pasta!! I know it is but blimey) followed by jelly. Now I don't understand why they don't say to the younger ones how it works and what is the main choice and what is the carb choice and you must have 2 veg blah blah blah - I stopped the dinners after throwing £1.70 a day down the drain on such a poor meal.

Original poster
Beauregard · 19/02/2007 21:08

I have just checked the menu,stupid i know i should have looked earlier.It does include potato ,buttered pasta(whatever that is)and sweetcorn as some of the options.
How would i be able to check what she had?

OP posts:
nooka · 19/02/2007 21:08

ds has made similar comments in the past (he is in juniors) so it certainly is possible. It is worth getting a copy of the menu (they should give this to you anyway as most schools have a cycle of meals) so you can check that what she is claiming to eat is likely. You could also check with other parents, if this is something everyone is experiencing (if you are going to complain it's worth knowing if it's a common complaint, or just you). I'd write a letter to the headteacher, or find out who the caterers are and complain to them.

colditz · 19/02/2007 21:09

I am packing a lunch for my ds until I can trust him to make a healthy choice, and tell me the truth about what he actually gets. The menu looks lovely (he starts in September) bu I hear all too often about kids that end up with pasta, chips, and a bread roll, because that's what they wanted or that's what was left!

nooka · 19/02/2007 21:10

Of course it is possible that she had something else too, and has forgotten (my two do this, and then remind each other what else they had)

shimmy21 · 19/02/2007 21:12

Yes, I've had the same stories from ds too. Basically there is only a limited amount of the first choice meal. If you are a second sitting you get whatever's left over. He has several times had meals based on carbohydrate only with no protein because all the meat has finished.

He started pack lunches again today and said it was so much better because he felt full after eating. He said he never got enough to eat at school dinner.

estatebabe · 19/02/2007 21:17

we have the same problem at our school. dd is in year 6 and generally sticks with packed lunch unless its xmas week when she puts up with school dinners just to get the xmas dinner! She has told me that they are told they must have 1 thing from each choice, but that there are all carbs in the 1st choice and then more carbs in the second, therefore she is forced to have potato AND pasta. She tried to complain, but got told off!

Original poster
Beauregard · 19/02/2007 21:20

Oh im glad that it is possible she is telling the truth then,i thought these meals would be very healthy but it all looks good on paper.
Where's Jamie Oliver when you need him?

OP posts:
julienetmum · 19/02/2007 22:03

I'm really pleased about the system my daughter's school has.

You have to choose the meals in advance. Each day there is a choice of one hot meal, one vegetarian hot meal, one sandwich based meal and one salad based meal.

They cook exactly what is needed, no waste and you the parent know what they are getting.

twinsetandpearls · 19/02/2007 22:05

IN the interest of balance and fair play dd has school meals and loves them, the menu is on display on a forthnightly basis.

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