Free School Meals Help Please

PippaGirl_2

Water is the healthiest drink for children and it is very good to get them used to drinking just water from a young age. It's also good to help a child not be fussy but not pandering to their whims.

I have a friend who cooks one meal for her, her dh and her eldest and a totally different meal for the younger child and it's always junk as that is all she will eat. All mine ate everything or got nothing else.

BigAunty

Goreegoree wrote: »

...

Now my problem is ive said we can try giving my daughter tuna everyday for the time being until she gets bored. However they offer no drink carton and give them tescos cheap own brand adult yogurt. And the piece of fruit for the past days have been ones that they do not like. NOw i want to know what are my rights as I am sure the school needs to provide a carton drink and also the yogurt is disgusting & they have both refused to eat it as its not the flavours they like.

Not giving your children a brand name yoghurt, their favourite fruit, a carton of fruit juice and their preferred sandwich filling is probably a breach of your human rights, even though they are feeding both of your children in a similar way as all the other children (except their parents pay for it and actually make it themselves, costing them probably around 5 mins of their time and a £1 a day...).

You should take them to the highest court in the land.

flashnazia

Let me get this straight: your children are fed, FOR FREE but you still aren't happy.

Some people.....

laurel7172

This is a wind-up, surely?

School catering services have many legal requirements placed upon them, but pandering to the whims of fussy eaters is not among them. If you do feel the need to make a complaint, OP, I would stick to the hot lunches issue, as whining because the school won't buy in your little darlings' favourite flavour of yogurts is simply going to get your letter passed around the office to be laughed at.

BigAunty

Call out the Refreshment Police...

BigAunty

GrungeMeister wrote: »

I do think that in Winter especially a hot meal might be more palatable sometimes.

..

Thermos flask and hot soup or stew for 50p - £1 a day. I often cook home made lentil, minestrone and veg soups, veg and lentil daals while my partner make home made bread for pennies.

Make up a big batch and freeze the portions.

A slow cooker would cook up a nice hot stew overnight just by popping a handful of fresh ingredients in the pot before going to bed.

The old style moneysaving forum will have cheap quick recipes.

Sparklebabey

Your kids sound like spoiled little brats...am assuming that kids don't like water? And they are both no doubt used to chucking loads of sugary juice down their necks.

As for your comment about 'adult' yoghurts?!! What, no Munch Bunch or Petis Filous on the menu at school....ppfft, that's a reason to go to the council right away.
Value yoghurts are usually your normal flavours like strawberry, raspberry and peach so not sure what flavours your lot are used to.

Children aren't born fussy...it's the pandering of the parent that facilitates it. And if you are really unhappy (or more to the point, the kids are) then I suggest you send your own pack lunches. Benefits for 2 kids and you will be generous. Of course since your munchkins are used to branded food then it might cost but better that than your princess and little soldier going hungry eh?

Sparklebabey

Goreegoree wrote: »

NOw i want to know what are my rights as I am sure the school needs to provide a carton drink and also the yogurt is disgusting & they have both refused to eat it as its not the flavours they like.

You have no 'rights'.

A drink will be provided for them in the shape of healthy and fresh water.

Value yoghurt is not 'disgusting'...it's just clearly not what they are used to and if they don't like the flavours then that's just tough.

benefitbaby

The only rights that exist are as follows;
All food provided by local authorities in England must meet national nutritional standards. These ensure that children are provided with a healthy, balanced diet.

The standards, introduced in September 2006, require the following:

• high-quality meat, poultry or oily fish regularly available
• at least two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal
• bread, other cereals and potatoes regularly available.

Additionally, there are controls on the following foods:

• deep-fried food limited to no more than two portions per week
• fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate and other confectioneries removed from school meals and vending machines.

Obviously your school is not providing hot meals but they still have to ensure the packed lunch meets nutrition standards.
The School Food Trust has an example of a weekly packed lunch menu here: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/projects/packed-lunches/packed-lunch-ideas

zaksmum

My daughter gave her son water to drink from the start, so he's quite happy with that. He's 19 months now and has only tap water in his drinks cup, and both his parents have the same with meals.