Parents often tell us that they think their children are too fussy to have school meals. In fact, the School Food Trust ran a survey with Mumsnet and you told us it was one of the main reasons why you wouldn’t choose school food for your child.
But school meals can be a fantastic way to encourage children to try new things – sitting with their friends and seeing what they eat is often all the encouragement they need. And in a recent poll with parents, most of those with children who eat school meals said their youngsters had experimented with new foods at school.
Still need convincing? Donna, a mum from Norwich, tells us how school food has helped her 5 year old son Connor broaden his food horizons…
Why did you think Connor was fussy, before he started school meals?
He wasn’t prepared to try anything new at home and we were really getting worried that he wasn’t eating enough. It was so limited – he wouldn’t touch fruit or veg and like lots of children would only eat white bread. Now when he sees his friends having new foods as part of their school meal he tries them too, so he doesn’t feel left out. If he is sitting with his friends who are eating, he seems to eat more.
What new foods has he tried in school that you couldn’t get him to eat?
We’d tried to offer him tuna many times but he didn’t want to know; now he sometimes even asks for tuna sandwiches for breakfast – that was a real surprise as even I don’t eat fish! It was the same with ham; until he had some at school he wouldn’t go near it. He’s eating more fruit since going to school including bananas and apples if you peel them (takes after me for that I’m afraid!). He went through a stage of eating raisins and raw carrot – again things I’d offered him at home but he wouldn’t try. School’s definitely a good place for him to develop his palate.
Do you talk to other parents about the food at Connor’s school?
Yes. There are mixed views – some parents say they would rather send their own packed lunch so they can see at the end of the day what their child has eaten or not eaten (the school leaves any thing uneaten in the lunch boxes), while others feel like I do – if your child is sitting with their friends and seeing them eat school meals, they are more likely to try new foods.
Do you worry that Connor might not like something on the menu?
There will always be something – you can’t please everyone all of the time. But at least if he sees his friends eating a particular food that he’s not keen on, he’s more likely to give it another go – which is half the battle.
What school food advice would you give to other parents with fussy eaters? What would you say to parents who are worried their children won’t eat anything if they don’t send them with a packed lunch?
They might just surprise you on school meals. Children really don’t want to be left out when they’re sitting with their friends, so give it a try – you’ve got nothing to lose.
Do you have any other top tips from your experience with Connor that you’d recommend to other parents?
If I’m giving him something new I start with very, very small portions as I don’t want to put him off before he even gets started – he can always have more if he likes it. In the past when there’s been something Connor hasn’t liked, such as sweetcorn, I’ve hidden it within something else like baked beans. Not rocket science and I’m sure other parents will have great tips too!
Share your fussy eating tips with other parents by emailing us at info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk – make the subject line ‘fussy eaters top tips’ and we’ll publish the best ideas here.
