Child not eating school dinner

burnsguitarman

Personally, I would stick with it. Your child will probably be tempted to eat something, As a former school kitchen worker, (I am female not as my user name seems) I can assure you, the meals are worth having.
Also have you considered the fact , that as most (if not all) his peers are having a provided lunch, he will be probably sat amongst children who he dosent know if he takes his own. Most schools sit the packed lunch children on separate tables, or even separate sitting.
In my experience, children won't starve, and the staff will try to find something to tempt them.

MrJester

burnsguitarman wrote: »

Most schools sit the packed lunch children on separate tables, or even separate sitting.

Indeed, I had this when I was in primary school. The school lunches was in a completely separate hall, mostly the richer kids whose parents could afford to pay for the school dinners!

I eventually went into school dinners hall after bugging my mother wanting to sit with the cool people, haha, plenty of occasions where I had to just eat what there was left.. I was very picky.
My packed lunch would always be the same thing, either that teddy bear ham or jam sandwich, crisps, biscuit and drink something like that - school dinners made me try other stuff.

notanewuser

I'm awaiting the outcome of school dinners on my DD. She's 3, and her school's policy is that all children have school dinners in nursery and reception (we don't get this for free though). I looked at the menus and there was a choice each day that DD would happily eat. She's not a fussy eater by any means, and loves veg and fruit etc, but she's reluctant to eat sauces like ketchup and gravy (not a problem in my eyes at all) and won't touch mashed potato. I figured that would be fine provided she had the choice of the other starch.

However, I've found out this morning that the nursery children aren't given any choice - the school cook decides and plates up the food. Parents get no say unless there's a medically diagnosed allergy.

We parent gently. In the past 2 years DD has come to eat bread, cheese, jacket potatoes and rice (which she wouldn't touch previously) by herself, simply by not being pressured to eat them because we say so. School's approach is to reward children for eating their lunch - which I absolutely oppose too.

Have been told to take it up with the Head (her default answer). Either way, I won't be paying £12 a week for her not to be eating!

System

OP its early days yet.... just stick at it a bit longer.

pollyanna24

I also would say stick at it for now. I've told my daughter (in year 1, but only this year started school dinners as it's free) that we will try it for a few weeks and see how she gets on.

She is also very fussy. But getting better as she gets older. I have printed off the rolling menu and every night we go through her options.

I can imagine it's all a bit rushed in the morning with so many children now having school dinner that I want my daughter to be completely clear on what she wants as sometimes (i.e. quorn deli wrap) she won't have a clue as to what some things are!

no.1swimmum

Although my son is now in his teens, it would have been a nightmare for him to have school dinners, he is (was) a very fussy eater but this was due to him being born with a problem with his mouth and not weaning as a normal child does, although he has gradually improved there are still things he refuses to eat. He is and has always been very underweight for his height and this was always an issue with his school - school nurse wrote to me once and told me that he was emaciatingly underweight!!!! but in the same week the school refused to allow him to eat a packet of crisps and home made chocolate muffin in his lunch as he wasn't allowed to treats!

Do the school allow you to send in a packed lunch, or maybe you could ask if you could provide one for him so that if he doesn't eat any of the hot meal he can at least have something that you know he will eat. With my son it really was trial and error and my refusing to cook different meals, for the family. He for example he hates potatoes, but always get some put on his plate and knows that I expect him to eat at least some of what is there or he sits at the table until he does.

I hope that you find a compromise with the school.

pollyanna24

embob74 wrote: »

My child has started school and gets free school meals as does every infant now and we were given a 3 week rolling menu to choose the meal each day.
The problem is that he is a very fussy eater. We have been trying to address this but he would rather not eat if the options are not to his liking.
I completely understand that his fussiness is our problem but every day after school he has been telling me hasn't had anything for lunch (apart from when it was fish fingers and chips!)
I have spoken to his class teacher who said she sits with the children at lunch time so will watch him, she also said they wouldn't let any child not eat anything. Having spoken to her again she said she has been away on a course but would make a note of my concerns and that would be passed on as there were issues with the meal providers which they were monitoring.
So now I don't know what to do next
OH said I should just give him a packed lunch but if there is a chance he will eat better due to seeing his peers do so then I want to continue with it.
I'm quite bothered that the school don't seem to be taking notice of the issue and I haven't had any answers and I'm not there to see for myself what is happening at lunchtime.
I don't want to come across as an overly fussy parent but I do want to ensure my child is able to have lunch and is being monitored in some way.
Any advice on the next steps?

Also, I'm not sure how much else you expect the school to do. They can't force feed him. His teachers already sit with the kids at lunch, when are the teachers supposed to get their break?

atolaas

If there is no medical reason why your son can't eat a school meal then I'd stick with it. Once he realises that there's no alternative he will simply get on with it. I wouldn't give him a full meal when he gets home from school, just a small healthy snack then nothing till teatime. He will eat, he's choosing not to right now because he's waiting to get the food he wants to eat. He won't starve, he needs to realise that he can't get his own way when it comes to food.

Indie_Kid

We had school dinners on and off at the primary school. I remember not eating a lot of it and was constantly asked why. "I don't like it" was my reply. What it actually was, was an issue with texture of certain (most, unfortunately) foods.

I did switch to packed lunches towards the end of primary school.

Another issue was that we were rushed for school dinners.

Mrs_Soup

They can be extremely fussy. My new reception child is fussy to the point of being under the supervision of a dietician, he eats no protein other than cheese, no veg (including potatoes) and the only fruit is smoothies or an occasional apple. I have agreed with the school that we will try the dinners in the hope of peer pressure having some effect and perhaps have some sandwiches sent in if he refuses to eat anything. In reception they usually have milk available for break. He has a whole week of 9-1 to start with so I won't send anything as he can eat at home afterwards.
I'm not sure what else the school can do though other than monitor them so that at least you know what they have eaten. Either that or you send a packed lunch.