Can a nursery not allow packed lunches?

montymud

A nursery has recently started to do cooked meals for the little ones which is great and something I wholly support, however some of the parents don't wish thier child to have a cooked meal for whatever reason but the nursery is not allowing these parents to bring in a lunchbox. Before the nursery started the hot meals it was always lunchboxes.

Is the nursery legally allowed to ban parents from providing lunchboxes for thier children? Thanks in advance.

fluffnutter

Legally speaking the nursery and attendee (parents of attendee really) are probably contractually bound just like any service provider and customer. It would therefore depend on the nursery's T&Cs (which the parents are agreeing to in sending their children there).

I'd hazard a guess that the T&Cs don't state "We will provide a hot meal for your child. Parents are not to provide their children with lunch boxes". In which case, the nursery would have difficulty in legally enforcing this. However, practically speaking, it might prove difficult to circumvent the hot lunch policy. It's obvious why they're doing this; a hot lunch is no doubt better for the children than two Club biscuits and a can of coke. This is their way of controlling what the children eat. However, what a child consumes in terms of calories is of huge importance and I can quite easily see how a parent might not like their child to have two cooked 'main' meals a day.

If this is a real issue for some parents, then they should discuss it with the people running the nursery. Perhaps all it needs is the assurance that the packed lunch provided will be of good nutritional quality. If not, and the nursery won't budge... find a different nursery. No point in getting into some 'this isn't legal' wrangle.

hollydays

For what reason are the parents saying they don't want the child to have a packed lunch

gordikin

The same reason parents were feeding their kids burgers and chips through the railings in the Jamie Oliver programme! Lack of education!

fluffnutter

hollydays wrote: »

For what reason are the parents saying they don't want the child to have a packed lunch

Do you mean the nursery? The parents want the packed lunches, the nursery wants the hot lunch.

montymud

I have no idea of the reasoning behind the parents choices. I am sure there are many reasons - I know the nursery cater to dietry requirements so it can't be that. I think that fluffnutter has pinned down one reason - perhaps parents don't wish thier children to consume two main meals a day. I was just curious as to whether a nursery could tell the parents that they could not provide thier child with a packed lunch Thank you for the constructive and helpful reply Fluffnutter

payless

private or state ?

montymud

MOD! It is a garrison creche

fluffnutter

montymud wrote: »

MOD! It is a garrison creche

Aah, well then. The MOD loves making rules up! And feels it has carte blanche to do so. There's a very paternalistic culture in the Armed Forces and MOD. No doubt they believe they're doing it for the good of the squaddies and their families. Seeing as it's a garrison creche people are probably a bit limited regarding finding another nursery. Your best bet is people power, monty. If there are enough parents that feel strongly about this, they should get together and send a collective letter asking that the decision be reviewed.

montymud

Great Idea Fluffnutter, thank you for your help. I will inform the parents and then they can decide if they would like to do this.

spike7451

fluffnutter wrote: »

Aah, well then. The MOD loves making rules up! And feels it has carte blanche to do so. There's a very paternalistic culture in the Armed Forces and MOD. No doubt they believe they're doing it for the good of the squaddies and their families. Seeing as it's a garrison creche people are probably a bit limited regarding finding another nursery. Your best bet is people power, monty. If there are enough parents that feel strongly about this, they should get together and send a collective letter asking that the decision be reviewed.

It's probably the NAAFI that is running the crech canteen now,they seem to be very draconian when it comes to a non-NAAFI service providing services.They forced the 'Chicken Inn' & the Malcombe Club' at RAF Bruggen/Javalin Bks to close as well as other establishments on other camps.