School Meals?

[Gwenhwyfar]

Hope someone can help on this one! just when you think you've thought of most things ...

* do all children in school in France stay for their Lunch or do some go home?

* do any take 'packed lunches'?

* if the answer to both questions is 'no' any suggestions on what I can do to cater for my non meat eating 6yr old?!? I'm assuming there wont be non meat versions of the meals.

Thanks

[SaligoBay]

Jennifer,

School cantines aren't obligatoire, the children can go home for lunch.

But each school is different.  In some, you can decide on the day whether you want to use the cantine, in others you might have to decide on a weekly or termly basis.  Some are overcrowded, so if you're not a working parent, you might not be allowed to use the cantine anyway.  Prices vary wildly from school to school as well.

Generally, packed lunches are a no-no.

Special meals are available, but not on a "normal" basis, if you see what I mean!   If no-one specifically asks for veggie meals, they won't offer them.  Ask at the school, it shouldn't be a big problem.  But remember, not eating meat - c'est pas normal ça!   

 

 

[Deby]

Hello,

You can ask for non-meat meals, but you will get much resistance and be probably offered 'chicken' as a substitute!

Many schools offer a non-pork alternative to accommodate the muslim community.  The school cantine can be quite a traumatic time for the new child especially if their french isnt very good.  My advice is introduce the cantine slowly, or possibly wait until the child asks to go.  My son is an incredibly fussy eater and occasionally I would like him to go but he is only little and I know the school would probably make a mountain out of his poor eating habit which is exactly the opposite of what he needs.

Should you want the vegetarian option, you can insist very politely and try and work with the school - this works wonders - sometimes.

Deby

[Mistral]

My children went to the school cantine from the age of 6. There aren't a lot of places and you have to apply to the mairie with your reasons (both parents working, single working parent, looking after an elderly relative....) Most of their classmates don't eat at the cantine. A lot of the parents around here don't work or work part time. Since the lunch break is 11.30-1.30, there's time to pick them up and feed them. Some of the children eat at school once a twice a week only.

From talking to friends, I've never heard of a school allowing packed lunches. Although talking about "allowing" probably isn't right. Most French people wouldn't consider a packed lunch sufficient during a school day. In all the years I've been teaching in a collège, the question has never been asked.

As for non-meat versions; I've never heard of them being offered. My school offers non-pork without any trouble, it's a case of it having been asked for. As SB says, if you ask they will probably try their best. It's just that vegetarianism isn't very well understood in France and you might come up against people worrying about lack of protein (this is a country where babycare books still have to remind parents that red meat isn't the only source of protein, that chicken contains it too- try telling them about lentils and see what happens )

 

[Gwenhwyfar]

Great thanks for the replies My 6yr old wants to stay for lunch but I'd rather she came home at least initially so we'll see, I'll check it out with the School when we get there. We'll have a chat with the school about non-meat meals which will be an interesting conversation no doubt

My daughter was Vegan as she was lactose intolerant so I got very used to fending off concerns about her dietary needs. It was amazing how many people expected her to be a weedy looking sickly child, it was always good fun watching people readjust their thinking because she's a picture of vitality Schools here in Wales were unable to cater for her as a Vegan and the Vegetarian meals were based on cheese cheese and more cheese

Anyway enough of this I've got to go pack more boxes (moving tomorrow!!!!).

[Teamedup]

Is there lactose in meat?

[SaligoBay]

Jennifer, if you really do want her to have meat-free meals, make sure to specify exactly what you mean by that.

A couple of people have already mentioned chicken, and therein lies the problem for veggies in France!

In my experience, "sans viande" is often taken to mean without red meat, so they'll agree to sans viande, but you might well still be given chicken or ham, or something with lardons in.

Good luck!

[Gwenhwyfar]

Thanks 'Saligo Bay' I will make sure I'm very specific if she decides to stay for school meals. I've found how specific I have to be in France and in Spain, I've had fish commonly (and even rabbit one time but that was 15yrs ago!) appear in my 'non-meat' meals.

[Jennys]

I can't comment about the vegetarian angle, but as far as children staying to eat at the cantine, in my childrens' school, almost every child stays for lunch. 

Initally I was worried about my daughter settling at the Cantine when she started school here at aged 4 as she was a fussy eater.  The cantine lady was very patient with her and didn't force her to eat, only to try everything and didn't give her large portions.  She even nicknamed my daughter "Miss un petit peu"!

After the first year at school, we noticed a big difference in their eating habits at home, both much less fussy and willing to try different things and we have never looked back.  We are more willing to take them to restaurants now and I think eating at the cantine has done them a world of good.

Jenny

 

[neutralzone<EM>Lets not <STRONG>bitch!<STRONG><EM>]

[quote]Hope someone can help on this one! just when you think you've thought of most things ...* do all children in school in France stay for their Lunch or do some go home?* do any take 'packed lunches'?* ...[/quote]

PACKED LUNCH!!!!!

Don't even mention it! We did...................... still recovering from the cat o' nine tails tongue lashing I recieved 3 years ago

They normally prefer the kids to stay and have lunch at school BUT if you fight back you can get them to let the kids home for lunch (where if you feel wicked enough..... give em a packed lunch)

 

[clareS]

I’m interested to read Gwenhyfars messages about diary free and cantine. My daughter doesn’t have dairy products either, she used to get a lot of stomach ache and nausea, and dairy products seemed to affect her more than most things. I’ve found it’s been great here having her home for lunch – both children get a break from speaking French and all that that entails, and they get a good hot meal to see them through the afternoon. In the UK they had packed lunches which my daughter never finished because she eats very slowly and just didn’t have enough time, when she was off wheat as well as dairy a lot of the boys were very rude and upset her. She seems to be really growing now she’s getting fed well, and she’s eating much more generally.

 

In our school here very few children stay in the cantine, most come home and the school bus brings them and takes them back at lunch. Schools obviously vary a lot.

 

Eating out is tricky though as cooking is often in butter, though salads are good, (my daughter likes them too) and I have found people in restaurants to be quite sympathetic if I asked for variations on the children’s menus. People can vary though – I tried asking in a patisserie the other day, which was a bit foolish!! (I thought maybe the baba au rhum might be dairy-free, but it was more trouble than it was worth)!

 

It can be a bit scary the violent reactions you get here if you inadvertently tread on a sensitive area – especially at school.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Updating - My daughter decided she wanted to stay at School for Lunch, and the school agreed that they would give her the meals without the meat - we're happy with that She takes extra snacks with her so if she's not been able to eat much at lunch she can eat them!

Hi Clare - my daughter had other children in the UK being horrible to her when she took her own soya milk and had marmite sandwiches, she still refuses to eat marmite

She does have dairy again now so it's a bit easier for us and although her and her Sister are the only Vegetarians in the School the other children don't appear to have said anything (well nothing that's bothered her anyway). Here, my daughter tells me that all the children in her class stay for the Cantine (CP1) and there's not many children being picked up when we've been there at lunchtime so it's more the norm to stay here.

Eating out when M wasn't have dairy products was very difficult and I can imagine with wheat free as well it really being a struggle!