Help with syn values on work menu please.

[sez88]

Hi everyone, I'm 2 weeks into slimming world at the moment, at home I'm finding the EEplan OK, and I think I'm doing quite well but at work its almost impossible. :cry:
I work 12hour shifts in a home for adults with autism, we don't get breaks and have to eat the food offered as we cant bring in our own stuff. :sigh:
I have written down the menu and am only eating lunch and waiting until I get home to eat dinner. I need a bit of help working out the syn value of some of the meals tho...

co-op value Fishfingers (4) and co-op value chips
co-op value burgers
cauliflower cheese (made from packet)
value pizzas
co-op value sausages

Hopefully someone can help me out with them, the alternative is a sandwich but i just get bored. Maybe I can save my syns up for the higher syn meals.

Thanks in advance

 

[ColJack]

why on earth don't they let you bring your own food?
for all they know you may have alergies or special dietary requirements that mean you can't eat their food since it doesn't comply with your requirements or may not be prepared in such a way as to prevent cross contamination with food you are alergic too..

that's bang out of order..

also they MUST by law give you a break every 4 hours or they are contraveining some employment law..

 

[RegField]

There is no way I would eat any of that - it's rubbish. Is that what they feed the patients? Don't they serve any vegetables?

 

[Brightonrosie]

They will probably be way above your daily syn values. Value burgers are nearly all fat and rusks

 

[sez88]

ColJack:
I brought the food issue up with my manager on Friday and she said that we cant bring food in because the 'clients' may want what we are having and become heightened when they cant have it.
In fact I do have some issues with food,including food phobias which I mentioned but was told that if I cant eat sandwiches (for example) then I can have crispbread instead, despite me explaining that the bread is not the issue, the filling is!
It is ridiculous.

As for breaks they class the 'relaxation time' we have in the lounge with the clients as our 'rest breaks' i think. I have a part time job as well doing the same thing and don't get a break there either. Maybe its a care thing, but I will look into it.

For now I just feel like its stopping me doing the best I can on slimming world, if i could take soup or something in it would be so much easier. :sigh:

 

[sez88]

RegField:
That is some of the meals the clients get yes, they do get vegetables with the meals but i know they are free so I didn't type them on here.
They have other meals too like spag bol (using the shop brought sauces) , stew etc, but most of it is rubbish!
Alot of the clients will only eat processed food (i think its the bland taste they like) but not all and I hate that the staff have to eat it as well.
Brightonrosie: that's what I thought, I can ask for a sandwich instead but then that's bread (often white), butter (I asked for it without the other day and still got given it), ham and/or cheese. Not great either is it

 

[Brightonrosie]

From direct gov:
Rest breaks - a break during your working day


As an adult worker (over 18), you will normally have the right to a 20 minute rest break if you are expected to work more than six hours at a stretch.
A lunch or coffee break can count as your rest break. Additional breaks might be given by your contract of employment. There is no statutory right to 'smoking breaks'.
The requirements are:

• the break must be in one block
• it cannot be taken off one end of the working day - it must be somewhere in the middle
• you are allowed to spend it away from the place on your employer's premises where you work
  
• your employer can say when the break must be taken, as long as it meets these conditions

 

[eternity]

It sure doesn't sound like great food. As the parent of a child that will probably be in such a faciltiy in the future, it makes me a bit worried. However, autistic people often have a very beige diet and like processed foods because they are relatively tasteless and always the same, unlike homemade burgers etc which can vary in shape, colour and taste each time you make them.

It's difficult for your diet though because you probably won't even enjoy these things. Perhaps you could just eat the vegetables and/or fruit with the crispbreads. I think fish fingers are about 2/2.5 syns each.

 

[ally7997]

I'm sorry but I think that's dreadfull, a) that they are given that food to eat and b) your given it to eat without being allowed to take your own food!

I work in residential care for adults with LD we also support people with autism and I take loads of stuff to work I have my own section in the larder and the fridge! It can sometimes be a pain that I'm eating different foods if that is the case I wait and eat after. There is not a hope in hells chance of anyone getting me to eat value processed food like burgers and the such either pre or post SW and in the case I certainly wouldn't expect people who have very little say in what is on their plate to eat it either!
Tell them you are entitled to eat food you like and that is healthy if it's an issue for the service users you can take a 15 min break (which you can do) to eat it! They have no right to not let you! Good luck sorry not really the point of what you asked I know! At work I'm in charge of menus and shopping and I ensure most things are cooked from scratch or of high quality!

 

[dawnwynne]

Wow, made to eat their food, now that's a first. I work for a very large charitable organisation that works with people with Autism, LD, Acquired Brain injury etc., and in absolutely none of our services would this attitude be acceptable. Now in several of our services, carers must be in the dining room with the service users to ensure that all goes well but nobody forces them to eat the food on the menu.

I wish you the best, I think they are out of order.

 

[sez88]

Thank you all for your replies. I think I will take some soup in anyway and talk to my manager again.
I have been taking fruit in and eating that in the sleepers room. We have been told nothing can be kept in the kitchen in case of cross contamination.

We actually have a 'cook' would you believe, she is leaving soon so hopefully they will take a second look at their menu then. Having said that my Manager told me on Friday that it is likely that we will be having a sandwich for lunch every day soon!! Crazy!

Anyway thanks again for your replies, if nothing else it has given me the push I needed to fight to eat what I want at work (and to fight for the guys I support to have a healthier diet too!) I'm not sure what the next step is now but I will look into it.