Teens school lunches

[Rachelh999]

Hi,

Just wanted to know how many of you give your kids money for lunch at school. My second son has just started at high school and I feel like I've constantly got my hand in my pocket , it's costing me a small fortune. Was thinking about asking them to take packed lunch two or three times a week. Does anyone else do this ?

If it's costing you a small fortune then of course you can get them to take a packed lunch a few times a week. Not sure why you'd need to seek mumsnets approval.

You don't even need to ask them, just tell them that is what is happening because the amount of money they want for school lunches isn't sustainable. They can like it or lump it.

Both mine take packed lunch.... can't afford for them to both be spending, and they used to just buy crap like muffins and cookies.

Plus the queuing for lunch took up most of the lunch break!

Most kids from experience take a lunch from home as in secondary schools they don't have time to queue and eat in bigger schools.

Mine only takes money now because they are in a smaller school and it's fairly cheap.

I used to take a packed lunch and pay for canteen food out of my allowance if I wanted it. It never bothered me.

Mine usually takes a packed lunch usually but sometimes has a canteen lunch for a little 'treat' / change. As pp have said, packed lunch is good for no queues, but sometimes the canteen lay on 'specials' for Christmas etc and it is nice to join in with that sort of thing occasionally.

Thanks everyone. I think school meals should be a bit of a treat as well , let's face it they're not going to go for the healthy option every day. The queings a problem as well so packed lunches it is [smile

My youngest has just started at high school. We put £15 on his card for the week which seems to be more than adequate. He says his friends get up to £5 a day, which I think is ridiculous.

Obviously £15 could buy an awful lot of packed lunch so I would prefer him to be taking his own, but for now we're seeing how it goes.

Ds1 also recently started secondary and I'm going to swop for packed lunches at least 3 days a week as he's buying crap! I've got an online account so can see exactly what he's bought - yesterday was pizza slice & cake at break then bacon roll for lunch . I don't mind the odd treat but hardly nutritious and he's starving when he gets home (not to mention the £3-4 daily cost!)

Dd gets £10 A week on her card and it's plenty. She only buys a main meal and a water though

Dd has an account - she's allowed a main and an extra something every day - a drink or pudding or breaktime snack. If she's really hungry she can of course have more - it's a general guideline and she mostly sticks to it. Ds has allergies so he gets a packed lunch - usually a flask of hot food.