FAO Debbie (or anyone really) re school meals

[debih]

The primary schools here don't get a choice - they have a meat option and a vegetarian option. I don't know about other schools but at our primary school they can't pick and chose each day - they have to give a weeks notice if they want to change from packed lunches to dinners and vice versa and the same if they want to change from vegetarian to meat.

The meals used to be fantastic - we had a cook that really cared and would use the ingredients she was given but not stick to what the county menu said. We had something like 95% of the kids on cooked meals. Then she left and the new cook is rubbish. Not bad enough for us (the governors and staff) to complain to county about (the local authority employ her rather than the school) but she just does the bare minimum. The kids complain about soggy broccoli, rock hard burgers, tough meat, etc. I think at last count there were only 35% of the kids on school dinners - and in a school of only 58 children that's not many. It will rise again after October as more have cooked meals in the winter.

They don't police the packed lunches as far as I know but then again, mine never had anything that they shouldn't have. Sandwich or pasta, fruit, water and a chocolate biscuit with the odd packet of crisps now and again. I know that L did once say one of the girls got told off for bringing fizzy pop for her packed lunch.

I'm not sure what they get at secondary school as other than her first term, S has packed lunches. L did say that she had sausage and mash when she had her trial day there. L did comment after her first term that she wanted to come off school dinners as she was sick of chips!!

[cruiser2]

When I went to the grammar school, everybody had to stay for dinner. It cost two shillings and sixpence per week for five days. Collected every Friday for the following week. Got potatoes, mushy peas and meat most days. Sometimes on Friday had fish. Then steamed pudding and custard. Good wholesome food with very little left. Most of the pupils were leaving home before 8.00a.m to get to school on time and not getting home till after 5.00 p.m. This was their only meal between these times.