Packed lunches

[Saltypopcorn11]

I know this topic has been discussed a lot but I want your view on school meals please.

I find pizzas, sausages, pasta and potatoes, fish fingers, chicken nuggets too much carb/fat focused meals… and schools tend to give them to kids.

At home for lunch we either have salads or we steam vegetables or cook lentils, chick peas or we boil chicken/rice or we cook fish and steak in the oven. We have pasta on the odd day, pizza on our “cheat day” and we don’t eat fried stuff and processed meat.

I am just worried that what schools offer is unhealthy!

On the other hand I am also worried that if my kid have let’s say baked aubergine with red peppers sprinkled with feta cheese and a slice of bread for lunch will be bullied.

I mean if she gets a packed lunch with what we normally eat while her friends have whatever school offers…

Maybe it’s not an issue at reception but could it be an issue at let’s say year 2 and above?

Thank you!

That lunch sounds delicious but I get what you are saying - kids don’t like to be different (mine doesn’t anyway)

we Have packed lunches here - soda bread, banana and so on

I work in a school with lots of children whose families come from many different countries across the world. There’s a huge variety of packed lunches that they bring, so the packed lunch you describe wouldn’t stand out at all at my school.

At lots of schools packed lunches and hot lunches eat separately due to space issues, so the two groups of children might not see what the other is eating.

Lots of schools will offer tasting sessions for new reception parents for school meals so it might be worth trying them and seeing what you think. You’ll be able to see the menu beforehand so you could always do a mixture of packed lunches and school lunches. They might not be as bad as you think.

Kids need carbs and fat, good fats mind you but fat all the same! They need it for brain development. Carbs aren't the devil! My kids would be starving if we ate 'big salads' every day.

If your kid will eat that packed lunch, absolutely go for it! It sounds lovely, healthy and absolutely great for them! Kids will be kids and will always find something to be mean about. I try and make mine a healthy packed lunch if she doesn't fancy what is offered at nursery. I'm sure other kids don't have anything near as healthy as her but she never mentioned anyone who says anything! She usually has a wholemeal or seeded bread sandwich with cheese or chicken, carrot and pepper sticks with houmous, some fruit, Greek yoghurt and flax seed, and then maybe a bag of mini chedders as a treat! Most kids have white bread ham sandwiches, salted crisps, a frube and an apple.