If your DC has school dinners what do they have for tea.

[notbeeny]

DS is in reception and has just started having school dinners, which seem very good 'proper' meals.

DH and I usually eat later than DCs (DD is 2).

What do you do at teatime? Just give them a small portion of what you would be eating or have more of a 'tea', sandwiches, beans on toast etc.

Mine have tea. ie the sort of food they would have had in a lunch box.

My DS has a sandwich after school as he's always hungry when he gets in despite having school dinners and he also has the same as DH, DD and myself at 6.30.

we have a meal at about 4.30 - full hot meal type.

We all eat together, something like bangers and mash, spag bol, chilli etc. My DC have allways eaten a big plate of food. School dinners aren't that substantial.

My DSs tried school dinners for a term - and came home ravenous (i know they emptied their plates as a dinner lady is a good friend) - so don't always assume that they are eating the sort of proper meal you would provide.

Once back on packed lunches they were fine...

Thank you.

I would like him to eat properly at home too but they can't wait until DH gets home as they are too tired, so they either get leftovers or first dibs

My youngest is starting with cooked lunches this year at nursery and has still been having a hot dinner with the rest of us. She doesn't eat as much if she's eaten really well but I don't have a problem with dishing her out a small portion of what I've cooked.

The way I see it is, even if you have a sandwich, fruit, yoghurt and some sort of protein in a cold lunch, is it really many less calories than a hot meal? Same basic principles of a meal if you ask me, so I don't assume that just because a meal is hot (eg: pasta and tomato sauce) that it is high enough in calories and nutrition to replace filling foods later on.