Reception pack lunches.

[reighn]

Hello everyone , just would like some advice! My 4yo has started settling sessions thurs/Friday. And starts on the 13th full time. I have had the letter to pick her school meals. Most of them are very disappointing and do not sound very nice to her, I think they do but she is very very fussy with food and texture. Example Monday was " stuffed peppers " or " veggie pizza" ... I said she can try the school meals this week as she might surprise me but if not I will put her on pack ups. Only thing that I don't like is when it's cold and winter eating cold sandwiches and extras for dinner I would like her to have a hot meal when it's cold. I have tried to find thermal lunchbox to make like curries for her and pasta n stuff but I'm worried it won't be hot by the time she has dinner at school, any ideas?

Try her with school lunches. Making packed lunches is a pain and it's much much better if they have school lunch.

Try school lunches. They’re free and less hassle. Children often eat stuff at school they wouldn’t at home

Surely sandwiches/wraps etc are a standard lunch at any time of year? Did you make hot lunches all winter previously? It's boiling in lunch halls then they go out and run around. Hot lunches are great as you don't have to faff around making packed ones but if she doesn't eat them then I'd not worry about cooking hot meals to send.

I'm not sure while people fuss over kids having a hot meal at lunch time, if they were at home would you be making curries etc for lunch?
So many parents say they want their kids to have a hot meal at our school but I don't know why that matters

A packed lunch is fine. I mix it up throughout the week and do wraps, baguette, sandwich, bagel, pasta, so it's not just a boring sandwich every day. I put in a few extra bits usually 2/3 snacks things like fridge raiders, vegetable sticks, fruit salad, jelly, yoghurt mini bags of cookies/chocolate fingers/party rings for a treat, cheese cubes, popcorn...

Also

I prefer my kids having a school meal purely because it saves me the hassle I don't enjoy planning and making lunches.

The menu has changed recently and has gone from fairly crap to utterly shit. But now one has to be paid for as in year 3 and the other has food issues I am doing two packed lunches.

My advice would be to perserve with school dinners for a bit longer, I think trying them for a week is too soon to give up. Most schools have a 2 / 3 week rotating menu, so it's possible that she'll like the food next week.

@toooothacheee , I wouldn't just make her hot dinners, it's not the problem just having hot dinners it's the menu is pretty gross. She doesn't like potato and never has and most of the menu is with creamy
Mash. I don't want her just eating 3 chicken nuggets and a hand full of veg for her dinner. I am going to try her on school dinners for the week and see how she is with that.

@toooothacheee also same with the food issues!! My daughter isn't allowed certain foods as she has problems with her bowels

@Whinge hey, I only said a week as my eldest is at the school and he said most of that menu is the same every week apart from Monday and Wednesday the rest of the days he said he gets the same thing every week I don't understand this?

I don't want her just eating 3 chicken nuggets and a hand full of veg for her dinner. I am going to try her on school dinners for the week and see how she is with that.

Why wouldn't you be happy with that? I think it's pretty good going for a reception child. There are many who wouldn't eat half as much, and a few who would eat a pea and nothing else. Even if you provide packed lunches there's a chance she wouldn't eat a lot as they often spend a lot of their dinner chatting.

From a fellow parent of a potato hater... I sympathise. Mine did end up just having the protein and veg on those days, plus the pudding. But it was only 2-3 days a week, there was usually a rice day or past day or a pizza day in there. Plus the pudding... that was usually enough anyway.

You said when it's cold you prefer her go have a hot meal that's why I wondered why whether it's hot or cold matters.

I wouldn't bother making hot meals and trying to keep them warm I'd just do typical lunch box things but mix it up so she doesn't get bored.

In my experience school meals are crap. They try to be healthy and fancy but they are just not child friendly. Unless you have a child that will literally eat anything you will have tricky days.

You will be surprised what she will eat outside of the house when her peers are eating it. I once walked in to find my extremely fussy dad munching on hummus, pitta bread and soreen. No such thing would pass her lips at home. She’ll eat more variety by having the school meals plus they’re free at her age so most of the class if not all will be on them

Dd not dad

[quote reighn]@toooothacheee , I wouldn't just make her hot dinners, it's not the problem just having hot dinners it's the menu is pretty gross. She doesn't like potato and never has and most of the menu is with creamy
Mash. I don't want her just eating 3 chicken nuggets and a hand full of veg for her dinner. I am going to try her on school dinners for the week and see how she is with that.[/quote]
Tbh 3 nuggets, some veg plus yogurt and fruit is about all most small dc eat at school lunches. I supervise lunches currently in p2 and last year p1 (same stage as reception) and very few dc finish everything be it school hot meal or packed lunch. It's a distracting environment, they are chatting and keen to go out and play. They are eating early usually midday or even slightly before at this stage (our p1's eat at 11.45) they've not long had a decent snack and milk and previous to that they've not long had breakfast so generally aren't hugely hungry. Things like the pizza are actually pretty substantial too. I'd honestly give it a go and ask teacher for feedback. I'm happy to keep an eye on what individual dc are eating. You often won't get a reliable account from them.

[quote reighn]@Whinge hey, I only said a week as my eldest is at the school and he said most of that menu is the same every week apart from Monday and Wednesday the rest of the days he said he gets the same thing every week I don't understand this?[/quote]
Do you have access to the menu? Serving the same food every week seems unusual.

Do you have access to the menu? Serving the same food every week seems unusual.

I agree, usually menus are on a 3 or 4 week rotation. Ask school for a copy or look online. Our council lists full menus and nutritional info for all their schools/providers online . They need to be available as parents need to be able to access the NI for allergies and medical reasons.

I work in a school and I've seen many a fussy eater turned around eating school dinners!