To be miffed about ds getting 'told off' for the content of his packed lunch

[Squiffie]

DS had a packed lunch consisting of:

A chicken wrap
Banana
Grapes
Rice pudding
A bottle of very dilute squash

In addition to this he had 3 or 4 jelly sweets that I'd popped in with his grapes as a treat, for which he got 'told off' by a member of lunchtime staff. Am I seriously not allowed to choose the contents of his lunch box?!

[Sirzy]

What is the schools policy on packed lunches?

They should have sent a letter home to you though not spoken to him.

[overmydeadbody]

His lunch sounds fine, but if the school have a no sweets policy they have to enforce it for everyone, not just the kids who have unhealthy lunchboxes.

[PandaG]

lunch sounds great, but lots of school do have a no sweets or chocolate policy. Child shouldn't be questionned about the contents of their lunchbox though, when they are little it is the adult's responsibility.

[Squitten]

DS1 has just started Reception and we were given a very clear list of what not to put in lunchboxes. Chocolate and sweets were top of the list (no squash either). What is your school policy? If sweets aren't allowed, why would they make an exception for you?

[overmydeadbody]

and he probably wasn't told off, he was probably just told not to bring sweets in again.

[SaucyJack]

No sweets means no sweets means no sweets AFAIC.

Be grateful you have the lunchbox police. Seriously.

Am fed up with being pestered for chocolate spread sandwiches and crisps.

[scratchandsniff]

YANBU That's a bit bloody militant. I think this whole packed lunch policing thing has got a bit ridiculous. Surely It's up to the parents what they want to feed their child. I can't see how the odd pack of crisps or piece of cake is going to do any harm.

[WorraLiberty]

The lunch sounds fine but no the sweets

Most schools round here ban sweets in lunchboxes

[mysteryfairy]

I actually think that is a very sugary lunch and I'm really shocked anyone would think it is ok to send sweets to school as part of a packed lunch as I think it has been against most school's policies for a really long time. If you want him to have sweets keep them for after school and send a baby bel or something as a treat.

[LoveSewingBee]

What used to annoy me most is that many hot school dinners include things like chocolate muffins or bananas with chocolate sauce or jelly ...

[Fairenuff]

Next time, no sweets and you will be fine.

[Goldenbear]

It sounds a bit OTT.

We don't have the food police but children are not allowed chocolate or sweets until they have eaten the main.

We do have the 'no time to eat police- please leave now'.

[arethereanyleftatall]

No sweets policy at my school too. At first my reaction was similar to yours, but actually it's a really good thing as kids can't whine for sweets as no one has them. Not much to not like about it.

[MrsOakenshield]

it's this kind of bollocks that makes me pleased that DD will be getting free school meals for a few years. Given that, from what I've read on MN, the dinners schools provide often seem to include sugary puddings, I can't understand this at all.

I'd be miffed but you'll just have to move onwards and upwards.

[Wibblypiglikesbananas]

Quite frankly I think it's ridiculous that you can't be credited with enough intelligence to decide what your child has for lunch. However, if those are the school rules, then you need to stick by them.

[Sirzy]

I have worked in a school which didn't have any sort of packed lunch policy. Now I can fully understand why schools decide to have restrictions on what is allowed (I am sure some do go too far but I don't think no sweets is going too far)

[diaimchlo]

YANBU at all. The lunch you packed sounds brilliant and balanced. I think that schools are going too over the top over what is put in a packed lunch box.... what is the reasoning behind no squash?????

Next time I would put a few of The Natural Confectionery Co www.thenaturalconfectioneryco.com.au/ sweets in alongside a little note to the dinner lady telling her that if she has anything to say to contact you.....

[lagertops]

why is everyone all like 'No sweets!'

Er, who is the parent here? By all means, encourage healthy, balanced meals, but IMHO that can include a treat now and again. Get off the OP's back cos she put in a few gums, the school is in the wrong here and should mind their own business. It's not like he was tucking into a Sara-Lee gateau.

[OutragedFromLeeds]

I don't understand why the no sweets rule is such a problem. It's 5 meals a week that you need to do without sweets/choc, it's not hard. He can have sweets for the other 16 meals in the week if you must.

[CreatureRetorts]

Sweets and squash? Every day?

YABU.

[Sirzy]

Exactly Outraged. It really isn't something to get outraged about.

[Fairenuff]

I think it's ridiculous that you can't be credited with enough intelligence to decide what your child has for lunch

As usual Wibbly, it's those few who really do not have the intelligence to provide a decent lunch that have created the need for this rule in the first place. And the only way to make sure they stick to it is to make it a rule for everyone.

[christinarossetti]

The problem with 'very dilute squash' is that how on earth do you draw the line between that, strong squash, fruit shoots, orangeade etc and why on earth would anyone want to spend their time doing that?

That's why schools have water-only policies which I personally see as a good thing. People need to drink water - there's 17 other hours in the day for drinking other things.