School meals

[snoodles1974]

Any dinner ladies on here? I work as a dinner lady in a primary school. Our food is provided off site so we do no cooking, just serve it. Every day there is one choice offered. My question is am I right in thinking, that whatever is on offer that day I must serve all on the plate and children can leave what they don’t like? We are having problems with staff returning meals asking for items to be removed as child is refusing to eat said item and wants it re plated?? It’s getting to logger heads here over this and cannot find a definitive answer on line to where we stand. Thank you

You need to ask the headteacher or your line manager.

At my school the children select what they want on their plate and are expected to eat what they’ve chosen. It helps cut down on food waste.

You should also consider that it is VERY likely that some if your children are neurodiverse. My son will eat a lot of things but if I put say baked beans on his plate he simply would NOT be able to eat anything else from the plate. It’s important for a lot of autistic people to have control over things like food.
We have a child at school that LOVES green vegetables - ALL green vegetables but if a bit of sweetcorn or carrot is put on their plate they simply can’t eat the rest of the food. Therefore they choose what gets plated for them and it works well.

The school or catering company may have a line on this that you’re expected to follow, but it would be unlikely to come from the school if it’s their staff that are asking for things to be taken off.

It seems very jobsworthy to insist on putting a bit of cauliflower on a child’s plate when you know the child won’t eat it and it’s going to put them off their other food. Think about how many children with SEN there are likely to be, often still undiagnosed, who have genuine food intolerances. Then consider all the children are just plain fussy.

Why would you be difficult about this just for the sake of it?

yes we do have a quite a few food intolerances and cater for those obviously. I just don’t understand how parents are requesting a school dinner when they know their child won’t like the choice. It’s meant to be a balanced meal being funded by the government or parent funded. I’ve saw so many children point blank refuse to eat anything offered when they should be encouraged to eat something or bring a packed lunch in instead

This used to be done when I had school dinners a very, very long time ago. I can remember sitting in front of it refusing to eat anything until the end of dinner break. Don't put things children hate on their plate.

Do you not have a manager to ask?

When mine were in primary there was a meat option, veg option and a baked potato option. I took Dts off school lunches when they ate a jacket potato every day for a term because everything else was awful.

My daughters school has three options...meat meal, vege meal or some sandwiches. The kids have to pick one of those. School also provide the terms weekly menu in advance, so parents can choose for their kids to be packed lunches if none of the upcoming options appeal

Actually as a teacher I find this annoying. We get school meals included at my school (private senior). Sometimes I want part of the meal, eg the potato wedges, but not the other bit, eg the pulled pork. I want to go and get some caesar chicken instead; I don't eat pork. But the catering staff said no. I explained I'd just throw the pulled pork away, and she still said no, it's all or none. So I took the meal and threw the pulled pork away in front of her. Ridiculous wastage!

Yes i Understand that is annoying. There is a lot of wastage at our school too. I think if junk food was available every day they would readily accept it, which is so sad. The roast dinners are just scraped out. Sign of the times really

I sit and support some children to eat lunch and it is my responsibility to ensure they eat as much food as possible which they flatly refuse to do as they don't like it. I constantly feel like I am failing at my job but I look around the lunch hall and there is so much food wasted. I wish there was less pressure and stress around lunchtimes in schools. What an earth are we teaching our children about food?!?

It’s not a sign of anything other than children being allowed to have preferences!

I work in a school. We give children the main they have ordered then they can decide if they want the potato/veg whatever with it. They can then go to the salad bar if they want for some bits (cucumber is very popular!)

DS' school let them choose, there are 4 options for meals and then they ask would you like vegetable? Most children say no, DS will eat them if on his plate but given the choice will say no. It's not great. He is honest and we do get feedback on what they've chosen so we've had a chat about health and balance and he bits chooses at least one veg a day or the salad bar, but I'm aware he's quite a good eater.
Thing is OP school staff will have parents complaining that Johnny couldn't eat his chips because they were pea adjacent

Honestly, if its cooked off site, kept warm when transported then through service time it probably won't taste that nice by the time the children get it. So its no wonder they won't eat it!

Edited to add... have you tried the food?

My children would eat certain things at home but the school dinners are dry and awful reheated, can’t have sauce or get a small dollop, it’s no wonder they aren’t eating them.