Idle musing - pork at school

[Zarene]

We don't eat pork as a family, and I assumed that we'd have to make sure that DC isn't given it at school.

But her nursery doesn't serve pork at all, and I've just found out that this is the same at the pre-prep she's likely to attend.

No real reason for this other than curiosity, but is this the same across lots of schools, or might it be because of our (diverse) area?

DDs school serves roast pork once every three weeks, and an all day breakfast with pork sausages and bacon every three weeks. There's also a daily option to have jacket potato with ham. So my experience is quite different (large state CofE primary, not a very diverse area but not totally homogeneous either).

Might be your area. Lived in London when the DC were younger and their school did no pork. Also two veggie options and only one meat option.

Then we moved to the sticks and discovered that the veggie option had to be ordered a week in advance.

I think it depends on area. We're in London and our nursery serves a fairly diverse population; it also doesn't serve pork or any pork products (gelatine etc).

We live in a diverse borough. The only pork based product on the menu at the moment are sausages once every three weeks.

In all four schools plus three nurseries dds have attended in different parts of the country/world there has been pork or ham products served. (From ham sandwiches, to sausage rolls, to sausages to roast pork or pork casserole). Usually one meat option, one vegetarian option available, pre ordered.

Their current school is the first school where school meals don't have to be preordered which I actually find strange. Also only school where you cant have dinners some days and packed lunch others.

My child goes to a majority Muslim school. She’s one of only 5 non- Muslim children in her class.
They are given the option of pork occasionally in their school dinner which surprised me.

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken

My child goes to a majority Muslim school. She’s one of only 5 non- Muslim children in her class. They are given the option of pork occasionally in their school dinner which surprised me.

We also get the option of halal and non-halal beef in the bolognese etc.

Depends on the area. If you’re in a mostly Muslim or Jewish area then it will be no pork. If it’s a Hindu and Sikh / Buddhist area it’s no Beef.

Our primary has gammon once every three weeks and pork sausages once every three weeks (always a veggie and jacket potato option). Catholic school.

DH teaches five minutes up the road at secondary and he's just told me they don't have any pork products. Standard academy school.

Both have fish Friday.

Our school doesn't serve pork, the sausages are chicken sausages. We are in London though

I work in a school where so many of the children don't eat pork for religious reasons it was easier to remove pork completely from the menu than keep track of who could / couldn't eat it along with other dietary requirements and allergies

DDs school - outstanding state primary, very non-diverse area - does pork once every 2/3 weeks. But there are 2-3 hot options every day as well as baguette/wrap. They're also great with allergies.
I've found food totally depends on the school and its caterers.

Thank you, that's interesting. I assumed it was the area, but the pre-prep is almost entirely white (whole other thread....) which got me wondering if it was a standard thing.

We have had a problem at one school with halal meat to which we object because of how it is slaughtered. Strenuous protest caused a change of policy but it took a whole term and intervention by the Governors.

I'm sad that I started a thread, not stating why we don't eat pork and literally with the words 'idle musing' in the title, and someone has taken it as an opportunity to have a go at Halal food.

I get why people have problems with it, but it's really wearing to ask a question about bloody school dinners and have digs made.

It's unnecessary.

DS school offers gammon and sausages but has other options which may be fish and or veggie

Interesting, I live in a very diverse area of SE London and our school definitely serve pork (we don’t eat it either) but they do serve it yes

Our dcs go to Catholic school, so maybe they assume a lot of children will be Christian. They serve pork sausages (at least I assume they're pork, but actually maybe not) every month or so. Don't think they serve it otherwise. Oh hang on, they offer gam sandwiches every day and cocktail sausages at ASC, so yes, they do serve a lot of pork thinking about it. Think their (non faith) nursery was similar.

We live in a very diverse part of London but son's school does serve pork. It's a Cof E school though so while it's very diverse in terms of ethnicity, everyone is eitherChristian of some denomination or non religious.

My kids school isn’t a catholic or CofE school

My family is Christian (and white) and we don’t eat pork in our church. There are smaller Protestant denominations which also don’t consume pork.

@BHX3000

My family is Christian (and white) and we don’t eat pork in our church. There are smaller Protestant denominations which also don’t consume pork.

Ah interesting - apologies, I didn't know this was something some Protestant denominations did too.

@BHX3000

My family is Christian (and white) and we don’t eat pork in our church. There are smaller Protestant denominations which also don’t consume pork.

Really? I never knew that. Which denominations (just curious!)

I didn't know that either. Which denomination?