Is it realistic of your childs school to give them poached fish/chilli/curry for lunch and expect them to eat it?

[avenanap]

Just a thought. ds doesn't get any choice of what to eat at school so he often goes hungry. If your child were to be fed this at school would they eat it or is my ds being unreasonably fussy?

Chilli and rice (he hates spicy food)
Curry and rice
Smily faces
Poached fish, bolied potatoes, green beans and parsley sauce.
Fish pie

What does your child have for lunch? Enlighten me!

Thanks. I would like him to eat what he's given but I think I'm asking too much. I should stop taking things in, I agree that this doesn't help him.

Thankyou for all of your advice .

DD would eat all of these (well, except the smiley faces as they aren't served), and does.

She also has no choice over what is offered, and even the fussier eaters (those I know are fussy at home I mean) have now realised tht if you don't eat it, you get hungry - and majority now eat it.

Fish pie and poached fish would be big favourites for DD.

The curry and chillis made at school - or certainly at the ones I have been in/worked at - is mild and non-spicy; no hint of heat or even spicy flavouring at all.

Oh - and re. the beggie questioon. There is a veggie option. You sign a letter at the start of the year to sign up for vveggie option (to help with numbers re cooking and les waste). Also you send in any allergies. If a child really hates the main meal, if there are any left over, they can be offered a veggie option.

I've asked his teacher if he can send a bit of chilli/curry home when they have it at school so I can brainwash convince ds to try it. He hasn't done this yet though. I make spag bol (complete with hidden vegetables ), I should put a bit of chilli in it and make it stronger each time. Hmm.

A lot of DD's school dinner recipes look to me very similar to those in the Dinner Lady cookbook, esp the chilli and curry ones.

Ours have all those on menu apart from smilies (afaik ) dd doesn't like "spikey" food normally so think it is pretty mild. they can also choose veggie option (usually similar), cold or jacket potatoes most days.

Ohh, I may have to have a look at that. Thanks .

He's got no choice. It's don't have it or eat it all. He doesn't have it so eats hardly anything some days.

On our school menu it says chilli and curry - but they just mean meat with beans in it and chicken in a creamy sauce with rice. They wouldn't put anything spicy on the menu - they're not DAFT!

Honestly - ho won't starve - stop worrying about it!

Oh, and what would you like them to serve?

Do you have the option to send in snacks for first break? And do they get milk then too.

ntil you have managed to make headway on his not eating then if so, I would ensure he had a large hearty breakfast (porridge, scrambled egg, etc.) and then send in a reasonable snack (some girls at DD's school even take in a small cheese or ham sandwich for example) and encourage him to drink his milk if still gets it. Then he should be able to cope, even with a light lunch until home time.

Is he always offered a dessert or fruit after his meal? Does he have these?

Don't you only have a few weeks left at this school - presumably they rotate the menu so it isn't every week , every meal ? Could eh not eat the rice and veg if not the chilli/curry ? tbh I suspect if he were really hungry he'd do that and eat pud/fruit.

He'd like pizza, burgers, chips, chicken nuggets . Haaaa!

I don't want them to pander to his every need (I don't do it, I don't expect anyone else to either). I was just curious whether this is what other children eat.

I give him fruit for morning break but he hardly eats it as he's running around with his friends. He has a huge breakfast anyway (cereal, toast, fruit, yogurt). They don't get milk. He doesn't tell me what he has for desert, on the odd occasion he tells me they have had chocolate moose or fruit. I'm shocked he's not on the loo all day given the amount of fruit he's given to eat.

yes to chilli and rice .. DS' favourite meal of all time

yest to curry and rice .. both kids love it

no to smiley faces .. they wouldn't eat

fish definitely

re-reads post .. realises I sound like a competitive alpha-nob .. but I'm not .. it's just true .. my kids aren't fond of potatoes in any form

sorry

OMG! What are you going to do?

I'm here for you if you need some support. You poor thing!

I thought 8 weeks was bad, I run out of ideas after 3 weeks. We should set up a thread asking for ideas.

I've got to go. Will be back later.

Poor you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fruit is not enough as an after-school snack imo .. it doesn't fill them up enough .. can't he have a sandwich to keep him till dinner?

Each week we get given the following weeks menu with variety of options. We tick which days and the options, send in the cash by Friday of that week. Simple.
That way there is a little choice and parents can "manage" the choice with/without discussion with their child.
Typical week:
Mon: (always rice day) Pork casserole with rice/Cheese or Ham baguette and Salad, Dessert: Fruit/Yoghurt/Apple Pie and custard
Tues: Pasta bake/tuna or cheese baguette and salad Dessert: Fruit/Yoghurt/Baked sponge with jam
Wedsalways trad style roast) Roast pots, yorkshire, veg, beef and gravy/pasta salad Dessert: Lemon merengue/Yog/Fruit
Thus: Chicken curry and rice/cheese or ham tortilla wraps with salad, Dessert: Fruit Salad and Ice cream/Yog/Fruit
Fri: (always fish) fishcakes, new pots and veg/tuna or cream cheese baguette Dessert: Choc pudding/fruit/veg

There is a 4 week plan that rotates eg, the Fri fish is fishcakes and veg one week, fishpie another, pasta with salmon another... Veg and some dishes change with the seasons. It is fantastic and I like the way that there is planning with parents. If certain options are regularly not chosen then they drop and rethink the menu. I like being able to have choice and yet be the one to choose rather than leave it up to DD. On days that there really is nothing suitable (not often) or in very hot weather I always have the option of not choosing any of it and sending her in with packed lunch.

Try paprika, avenanap - bit milder and sweeter than chilli - might be a gentler transition.

Mine don;t break up til 23 July It's the only thing I like about the idea of private school the long holidays. Though I always am secretly amused by my private school friends - they pay all that money and the children only seem to be at school for two and a half minutes a year!

I also would give large snack if not eating till late. DD eats with DH and I at 6:30pm, so I give a snack when we get home from school - often toast or a sandwich, or pitta/rice ckaes and cheese/meat and veggie sticks.

mine get a sandwich after school AND eat around 5 / 5.30

not sure why the sad smiley face popped in there! (sad smiley face.. hmmm interesting turn of phrase). Maybe as a veggie I am showing my personal mild irritation of limited veggie hot food options although plenty of jackets in the winter, only summer veggie options are a bit rubbish!

fruit isn't enough to fill them up really
a sandwich would be better
and tea seems to be very late for him