School lunch

[Jingle]

We are vegetarians and have a reasonably healthy home made food (no chips, canned food, processed food) Our girl was in a nursery for almost 4 yrs and though she didn't quite like beans on toast, sphagetti hoops, and various other, she had a varied healthy diet and was ok. she has now started school and the school doesn't have a menu. Everyday, she comes back saying she had jacket potato and cheese, pasta/spaghetti hoops, pizza and chips. We brought this up with the principal and was told a menu will be published soon. That was in Oct 2004 :-)
Having waited long enough (a term and half), yesterday I spoke to the cook ( this is a private school and we pay around 100£ a term for lunch). I told her I want to know if my daughter is making the right choice at lunch time and if I can have a menu. she showed me a menu but also said she doens't quite stick to it. I noticed that she waas quite defensive so i kept telling her, I just want to find out how my daughter is and how I would like to help her make the right choices. Now, the cook goes, your girl is a bit fussy, she doesn't eat meat, mushrooms, baked beans, tomato sauce, quiche; there is always cucumber and tomatoes in a bowl on the table, she could eat them...what does she have at home and I go "well, rice and kidney beans, pasta with vegetables like courgette, aubergines, omelette with veg or even a bowl of sweetcorn,peas and broccoli with a knob of butter. I thought I made her understand why I am concerned and that I don't particularly blame her but just want to know what the deal is.
Anyway, my daughter comes home yesterday and goes" I don't know what was wrong with the cook, she brought a huge plate full of vegetables and forced me to eat it all". She was totally embarrased in front of the rest of the girls at school :-( and to top it all, i think she knows I have spoken to the cook and this morning she was at the door saying" i hope i get chips like the other girls and not a huge plate of vegetablesfor lunch today". No "good bye mommy" and I am sad :-(
I am at my wits end? I am being too fussy? How do the rest of you cope?

We switched to packed lunches as I was unimpressed with what DD was given as schol lunch. I didn't complain but had a chat with the Headmaster's wife (who is school nurse); most parents prefer the kids to be offered chips and pizza because that way they know their kids are getting something they like to eat at lunch time. Having got to know some of the parents better, I'm sure she was telling the truth.

My gripe now is that DD's "healthy" packed lunches are subject to comment from the teaching staff.

Well the menu doesn't sounds as bad as some of the menus at state primary schools, however it doesn;t come anywhere near to the food my daughter gets at her nursery (part of a pre-prep school)

Today for instnace she had chicken curry, nan bread, rice and peas. The veggie children got the same but veggie curry instead.

On Friday she will get chicken or veggie nuggets, chips and beans but Fridays is the only day this type of food is served.

Other examples are chicken or veggie casserole, roast beef or veggie sausage and yorkshire pudding, shepherds pie (or veggie version) and pasta. With these meals they generally get mash and veg.

It seems there is an issue with your daughter wanting to eat the same sort of food as her friends. This is natural, if my daughter saw her friends eat chips she would want them too. I think the school should be more responsible and limit the times they serve this type of food.

I would write and complain perhaps, you are after all a paying customer and have the right for your daughter to be served a healthy, nutritious diet.

Hmm Jingle, I agree with JulieF, it does sound as tho she just wants to eat what her pals are having, but also agree that the menu shd be more varied.
DS1 is at an LEA school and the council publishes the menus (for the whole authority) termly and they are sent home with the children each term.
They only have chips once a week, there are always lots of veg on offer and salad too, yes I agree the main savoury item is hardly top quality but DS1 always tells me a big list of brocolli, carrots, potato so I am pretty happy.
There is a veggie choice each day and again, these are not the greatest variety but there?s always lots of veg and salad, sandwiches too.
I think it?s pretty good, feel school dinners get a bit of a bad press (lookign forward to Jamie Oliver tonight).
Jingle I wonder if it?s worth writing to the school just nicely inquiring what they offer to vegetarians and making the point that it?s important for her to eat a balanced diet too.

I wouldn't be impressed and would complain in writing so they have to respond. This is unacceptable behaviour towards a pupil! For goodness sake, they should be happy to answer any questions you have about food! My son is vegetarian too but takes a packed lunch so I don't have this issue. Out of order imo.