School telling what to put in packed lunch?

[cherryglitter]

i agree with arcanegirl too.

we used to have packed lunch. we'd have crisps with it or one of those penguin bars or whatever!! but when we got home we would have our main dinner and that was it really we weren't snacking or anything because we were so full up.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

me and my family members could not be over weight if we tried really lol but I am all for healthy eating but I do like a sweet treat at times.
My kids have animal biscuits or jaffa cakes at school. Its really not the end of the world. They know they have there treat at lunch time and thats it. After school I meet them with a orange/banana and a smoothie, then its dinner and sometimes weetabix or toast before bed.

I dont know why people get in such a fuss over nothing lol.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

P.s just read a book about some kids who never had sweet treats and then when they discovered them as teens they became obsessed and binged on them. Maybe schools school enforce stuff in moderation. I wont lie to my kids and say one jaffa cake makes you fat or lose your teeth because thats scare tactics that are not true.

 

[JessicaAnne]

I haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if I'm repeating or I've missed anything

If Evie was having packed lunches, I would put her a biscuit/chocolate bar in. As well as sandwiches, fruit, yoghurt. If the school think its acceptable to put "chocolate sponge cake with custard" (a real example of the school dinners at my brothers school) on their menu then it's damn right acceptable for me to put "unhealthy" food in her lunch box. (just an example, Evie's not in school yet lol)

And no, she isn't given sweets/chocolate/crisps and whatever everyday. In fact she's great, she'll happily pick fruit over sweets.

 

[SKATERBUN]

I was never an overweight child and agree with the others, the daily treat with a healthy lunch was 1 penguin bar in the lunch box, then a healthy meal in the evening, hardly call that unhealthy - MF is right if you deny a child of something they only want it more

 

[mum22ttc#3]

I don't think schools started with these healthy eating policy's though because of the people who were putting in a chocolate bar or pack of crisps here or there, they started it because 1. The U.K obviously has a problem with obesity in both children and adults and 2. There are unfortunately parents that do send their kids in with a lunch box full of crap.

Nobody is suggesting depriving or denying kids of treats and TBH I don't see why if people are saying that it only a thing they give their kids once a day why they can't just give them after tea. Not everyone is going to agree with school policy's but they are there for a reason, unfortunately you can't just pick and choose which ones to ignore and which ones to follow. I'm sure there are parents out there that don't agree with uniforms for some reason or another but they still have to dress their kids in them, either that or send them to a different school.

To add I'm not speaking about special cases or what not i.e kids that need extra fat, routine etc, just in general.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I don't think schools started with these healthy eating policy's though because of the people who were putting in a chocolate bar or pack of crisps here or there, they started it because 1. The U.K obviously has a problem with obesity in both children and adults and 2. There are unfortunately parents that do send their kids in with a lunch box full of crap.

Nobody is suggesting depriving or denying kids of treats and TBH I don't see why if people are saying that it only a thing they give their kids once a day why they can't just give them after tea. Not everyone is going to agree with school policy's but they are there for a reason, unfortunately you can't just pick and choose which ones to ignore and which ones to follow. I'm sure there are parents out there that don't agree with uniforms for some reason or another but they still have to dress their kids in them, either that or send them to a different school.

To add I'm not speaking about special cases or what not i.e kids that need extra fat, routine etc, just in general.

I dont know. I have always had them have a treat at lunchtime and not after dinner, guess I just carried it on.

 

[Quackquack99]

P.s just read a book about some kids who never had sweet treats and then when they discovered them as teens they became obsessed and binged on them. Maybe schools school enforce stuff in moderation. I wont lie to my kids and say one jaffa cake makes you fat or lose your teeth because thats scare tactics that are not true.

You have described myself. My parents were so strict about food til when I was 16 and I discovered the sweeter side and my God I put on 3 stones.

I think everything in moderation and I don't think its fair for scools to give pudding out yet a child who has a lunchbox isn't allowed a biscuit. Double standard if you ask me.

 

[shortie1990]

I think it's rediculous, what do you put in so your child has had a decent dinner? Surely a sandwich, apple, crisp/chocolate or cake, and yoghurt is an acceptable lunch?

Surely a sandwich and yoghurt and an apple isn't filling?? I know I'd hate to have that in my lung box, and I'll put what I want in my sons lunch box, (or school dinnerd if he likes them) if he wants a packed lunch and they aren't happy at what I give himcl, I will bring him home for lunch, but that's a few years away now, but I'm not having any one dictating to me what I can and cannot feed my children

But why is crisps and chocolate acceptable for a lunch box EVERYDAY? Most families will also being giving their children crisps and chocolate when then get home from school, so thats an awful lot of bad food in 1 day.

I don't understand why so many parents thinks it ok to give their children so much bad food and then assuming they are doing it in moderation when in fact its WAY over what is recommended to children

Some occasional bad food is ok but not everyday or multiple times a day

I'm sorry but I don't see crisps and chocolate that bad. Because my use of crisps and chocolate isn't excessive, and a balanced lunch box, ie, fruit AND 'a treat' and he would only be eating this with his dinner, I don't see how that's bad? The world has gone mad, and people have one healthy eating mad, sorry but it's a load of shit, everything is moderation, I would just hate for him to go hungry so would put these options in his lunch box, and if he didn't want them, don't eat them. We all know some days we have hungry days, and eat more than usual, there's nothing worse than being half way trough the afternoon and your belly rumbling. And I don't care what any one says, fruit is not filling, and I'm not having my children growing up scared of eating something incase they get too fat, I don't want them to grow up with the pressure of other people making them feel self conscious!

Sorry for waffling but really pisses me off with all thos 'healthy eating' being pushed down every ones throats, our diets COULD be healthier, but it's not a bad diet either, just pretty average and we're all happy and I'm not having any one dictate to me what my children will eat! (not aimed at any one here at the schools in the future so god help them!)

 

[Ozzieshunni]

^agreed!

 

[Janidog]

I think it's rediculous, what do you put in so your child has had a decent dinner? Surely a sandwich, apple, crisp/chocolate or cake, and yoghurt is an acceptable lunch?

Surely a sandwich and yoghurt and an apple isn't filling?? I know I'd hate to have that in my lung box, and I'll put what I want in my sons lunch box, (or school dinnerd if he likes them) if he wants a packed lunch and they aren't happy at what I give himcl, I will bring him home for lunch, but that's a few years away now, but I'm not having any one dictating to me what I can and cannot feed my children

But why is crisps and chocolate acceptable for a lunch box EVERYDAY? Most families will also being giving their children crisps and chocolate when then get home from school, so thats an awful lot of bad food in 1 day.

I don't understand why so many parents thinks it ok to give their children so much bad food and then assuming they are doing it in moderation when in fact its WAY over what is recommended to children

Some occasional bad food is ok but not everyday or multiple times a day

I'm sorry but I don't see crisps and chocolate that bad. Because my use of crisps and chocolate isn't excessive, and a balanced lunch box, ie, fruit AND 'a treat' and he would only be eating this with his dinner, I don't see how that's bad? The world has gone mad, and people have one healthy eating mad, sorry but it's a load of shit, everything is moderation, I would just hate for him to go hungry so would put these options in his lunch box, and if he didn't want them, don't eat them. We all know some days we have hungry days, and eat more than usual, there's nothing worse than being half way trough the afternoon and your belly rumbling. And I don't care what any one says, fruit is not filling, and I'm not having my children growing up scared of eating something incase they get too fat, I don't want them to grow up with the pressure of other people making them feel self conscious!

Sorry for waffling but really pisses me off with all thos 'healthy eating' being pushed down every ones throats, our diets COULD be healthier, but it's not a bad diet either, just pretty average and we're all happy and I'm not having any one dictate to me what my children will eat! (not aimed at any one here at the schools in the future so god help them!)

So what are you going to do? Threaten the school with taking your child out or something else? I'm just curious of what you think you can do?

Maybe home schooling is the way forward for you, after all there might be other rules in the school that you don't like.

A friend of mine is a deputy head and he says that children are fine but the parents can be a nightmare......

It really does not bother me that schools have a lunch box policy, I have far more things to concentrate on then whether my child is allowed crisps at school

 

[shortie1990]

At my school there were three choices for lunch, packed lunch, school dinner, or to go home for lunch. Hopefuly, theyll have school dinners, and that will be that, but if my child had a packed lunch and IF my child was told they couldn't eat what I sent for their dinner, I WILL take my child out and give them their dinner at home, but like I say, there's a lot of ifs and may never find myself in that situation as hopefuly what I do send them will be an acceptable lunch, I am not sending my child to school with a box full of crisps and chocolates.

I think schools are being given too much say in a child's up bringing, they parents blame schools for behaviour and eating habits etc, I'm afraid that is MY responsibility as a parent, not the teachers. They have ONE meal at school, two at home, And one meal to have a treat as part or their lunch is not unacceptable. I know some children eat crap for breakfast and lunch and dinner, so because these parents are lmt doing their job, I'm not allowed to put a treat in my child's lunch at school? It's not the schools place to say, schools bad enough as it is for dictating etc as you're there to be educated, kids need a break, so in their break times and lunch times beig told 'can't do that can't eat that can't say that can't think that can't wear that'

Seriously?? It's a flipping joke and yes I can imagine I'm going to be a nightmare when my kids go to school, but they're individuals, they're not robots, or sheep, they're bloody children, let them be children ffs!

 

[mum22ttc#3]

^^ I agree, Schools have policy's that you are either going to have to follow or basically choose another school, there are always going to be things that we don't agree with on the way that schools are run, for me though it comes down to whether the positives outweigh the negatives.

Basically good education comes before whether the school has a lunch box policy for me and TBH doesn't even cross my mind when choosing a school, there are so many other things that are more of a priority for me and my kids.

I'm afraid one person disagreeing with a policy isn't going to change it, and it seems that more and more schools are choosing this way forward. You may find you are very limited when choosing schools in the future if your not going to accept the healthy eating lunch box rules.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

When I first heard of it, I thought it was crazy that you have to write for permission from to school to take your child out for a holiday. Well, I'm sorry, but if the only time DH can get off is May and we want to go see my family in California, he's going. End of.

Another topic though.

 

[mum22ttc#3]

At DD's school if you was to do that then the family liaison would make home visits. What they was to do I don't know.

Personally I think you should have to apply, School is compulsory unless you decide to homeschool so you can't just choose when your child is going to attend. It's the same as if you work you would have to apply for holiday, you couldn't just go on holiday when you felt like it. Theres always going to be rules that have to be followed in life whether it be through school, law, work etc.
TBH I don't see it as right either that I would be showing my kids that it was ok to follow some rules but not others that I don't see fit.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

At DD's school if you was to do that then the family liaison would make home visits. What they was to do I don't know.

Personally I think you should have to apply, School is compulsory unless you decide to homeschool so you can't just choose when your child is going to attend. It's the same as if you work you would have to apply for holiday, you couldn't just go on holiday when you felt like it. Theres always going to be rules that have to be followed in life whether it be through school, law, work etc.
TBH I don't see it as right either that I would be showing my kids that it was ok to follow some rules but not others that I don't see fit.

Pah, I wouldn't be letting any family liaison into my home. I'm glad Alex will be going to school in the USA. HVs, family liasions, it's all really invasive in my mind.

 

[indy and lara]

In Scotland it is the Educational Welfare Officer who deals with extended absencies. In all honesty though how do you think schools would cope if everyone just took holidays when they fancy it? Does that mean the teacher can take their holidays when it suits them/ is cheapest too?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I have an issue with it because all my family is in California. If there is an opportunity for us to go and it's the only time we'll see them all year, I'll take it.

It's different if the child is getting pulled out every month.

 

[RachA]

Blind post.

My son's school requests you don't put in things like anything to do with peanuts, sweets or chocolate. They are allowed chocolate biscuits or like the caburys mini rolls etc.
I actually sent Daniel in today with some chocolate coins he had for christmas. He asked if he was allowed them (bless him, he does listen to me) so they spoke to me afterwards and said the reason they say no actual chocolate is so children don't bring in things like smarties that get passed around and can make some children hyper. They've found it's easier to ban certain things than to be constantly stopping children from sharing.
It doesn't bother me at all - i don't see a problem in it, there are plenty of other options for things to put in.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Sugar has been shown not to be responsible for hyperactivity in children. It can lead to irritability though.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/kids/hyperactivity.shtml