How do I plan meals around school dinners?

Mrs_Cupier

Interesting connundrum here, chaps, I would welcome your input.

Up until now, I have been feeding us (5 people - two adults, three children, 7, 6 and 4) very successfully on about £300 a month. Cooking almost everything from scratch and managing the meat particularly by planning 31 meals at the start of any month then spreading them out over the time period. Lunches are mostly soup for those at home or low-cost lunchboxes - sandwiches with HM bread, or cheese and crackers, fruit, yoghurt, juice or milk and occasional treats of HM baked things or crunchy bars in busy weeks.

This works well and all are satisfied. But it's all about the unravel.

DS2's school have been pushing very hard to get hot meals in at lunchtime, and DH (as a governor) has been closely involved in this. It starts in a week or so and, because of DHs position, we are really honour-bound to take up school meals to begin with at least. DS2 would get them everyday, DD, two days (she's still at the attached pre-school). DS1 is at a different school and will still take sandwiches.

And therein lies the problem. How on earth do I a) reflect that fact that I'm now spending £17.50 a week on dinners that I wasn't before
b) keep DS1 fed in the evenings without i) DS2 and DD demanding what he's got so I've feeding those two a main meal twice a day (not healthy and too expensive, I feel) ii) spending every spare moment cooking?

I've been going round and round on the topic since Christmas, when we knew the meals were coming in - and now I'm completely paralysed. All I can say with any certainty about food in March is that it will be sausages tomorrow because they're in the freezer and roast chicken on Wednesday because I need the soup on Thursday. Other than that, I'm spinning, and I can't afford to just throw money at it and hope for the best.

Any ideas?

lil_me

You're under no obligation to accept school meals, I am sure the school would not want you to feel that way. There should be no pressure, as an ex governor I am really suprised he feels this way and I feel rather than following through with this he should be echoing your views as to why you refuse (that you don't feel they are healthy and that they are too expensive) instead of encouraging something he doesn't believe in/agree with. I did this at my sons last school, as a governor you are expected to be the critical friend not just go along with everything they do.

If you must do this out of guilt - for evening meals, smaller portions for those eating a full meal with desert at lunch time might be a good idea if you want to do them all the same thing. My boys when on school dinners have a packed lunch sort of tea, sandwich, fruit, yoghurt etc.

leiela

My kids untill very recently always had school dinners however the quality of food slid very very fast down hill and i've switched them to packed lunches last week.

This said even when my kids where on school dinners i always gave them a cooked meal in the evening, because i liked to KNOW that they where getting at least 1 wholesome meal a day, school dinners even at a school that promotes "healthy eating" arn;t always that healthy, and i know my kids where always picking the least healthy thing on the menu and then leaving all the veg because there wasn't mum glowering at them till they ate it haha.

Obviously it might be different for your kids if the schools only just started with school dinners chances are the quality will be good, but personally i couldnt' sit there with a cooked meal in the evening while my kids ate sandwiches i'd feel too guilty.

I just don't see saving a few penny's being worth the upset that feeding everyone something different might cause ... Kids are RENOWN for wanting what someone else has regardless of what they have themselves i think you'd spend your life in a battle with your kids wanting to eat anything but what they have in my opion It would just cause to many tantrums and tears kids don't understand the cost aspect they'd just see it as unfair.

Not the mention the trouble of cooking 2 seperate things. Just not worth it in my opinion id just cook everyone the same.

Mrs_Cupier

Thanks lil_me, although I think you've partly misunderstood me - I'm very happy with the quality of the school meals, what I'm concerned with is the health aspect of eating two 'main meals' a day.

As to cost, £2.50 is excellent for 'eating out' which is effectively what they're providing; it's just that I can do a lunch box for £1.50.

Mrs_Cupier

Thanks leiela, I think that's my main concern - I at least know what they're getting as they have to choose it with me a week in advance and serving is then based on a coloured wristband issued by the class teacher; but none of them will understand why anyone is getting something different at tea time at home; and the eldest is at an age where he's growing like a weed and needs something 'proper'.

What a pain this is!

leiela

Im not sure i understand, whats unhealthy about eating 2 main meals a day ? infact i'd think that was MORE healthy than eating just one and a light lunch

Mrs_Cupier

It's always been my understanding that you're better off (in a ideal world) with a hefty breakfast, a good lunch and light evening meal. They're also getting two (fruit) snacks a day, so it's not as if they're starving; but I don't think they need (say) beef lasagne and salad at lunchtime, followed by fishfingers, potatoes, peas and carrots at teatime.

Buddingblonde

So do the lunch box - it sounds like it will be a lot easier for you hassle wise too.
Your child could be taking packed lunches for any reason - allergies, fussy eater, special diet for illness. What you do with your own child is your business, no one elses.

leiela

can't you just reduce the portion size in the evening rather than makng them do without?? My kids would have murder if i tried to eat and evening meal and palm them off with buttys which would be even worse if i tried to give ONE of them buttys and the other an evening meal, world war 3 for sure.

It's true breakfast is the most important meal of the day but you still need food thoughout the day, as long as they are eating good quality food i doubt it makes a difference if its cooked or not, as long as your kids are eating good food in sensible portions im sure they will be fine.

My kids eat 4 main meals per day plus snacks breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper on the advice of my nutitionist, at least 2 of those are usually cooked.

Penelope_Penguin

Mrs_Cupier wrote: »

Thanks lil_me, although I think you've partly misunderstood me - I'm very happy with the quality of the school meals, what I'm concerned with is the health aspect of eating two 'main meals' a day.

When mine were in priamry school (which is where the 2 having the school dinners are) they had a cooked meal at school and then another at home in the evening. Being growing children, who were (and continue to be) very physically active) I never thought that was a bad thing

Penny. x

thriftlady_2

I can't see any problem with having two cooked meals a day. Just because it's hot doesn't mean there's necessarily more of it or that it is more nutritious.

If it were me I'd say £17.50 is way more than I spend on a packed lunch for 1 child (I don't think I spend that much on 3) and therefore I'd continue with packed lunches all round.