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Junk food in nurseries

101 replies

RamblingRosa · 02/03/2009 13:11

I don't know if I'm just being uptight but I'm really annoyed that twice I've been to pick up my DD (16mo) from nursery to find all the other kids eating cheesy wotsits that one of the mums had brought in "as a treat" while my DD is sat in the corner on her own with a cream cracker because the nursery staff know that I don't like her to eat junk food.

I just feel that they shouldn't really let any of the kids eat junk food in the room because it's too hard to then not allow some kids to eat it. I don't want my DD to feel left out or excluded but I really don't want her to eat cheesy wotsits either! Am I being too uptight or should there be a policy to not allow outside junk food into the baby and toddler rooms?

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mrsbabookaloo · 02/03/2009 13:19

I don't think you're being uptight for a child who's only 16 mo.

I've been a bit dismayed at the lax attitude to junk food at my dds nursery - parents bring crisps, lollies etc for parties and then if there's any left over, they might be just given out at random. The packed lunch they were given for our summer trip was a shocker!

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christiana · 02/03/2009 13:25

Message withdrawn

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nailpolish · 02/03/2009 13:27

i hate it when people use food as a treat

sorry but if this was my nursery id ask the staff to try to put a stop to this

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rubyslippers · 02/03/2009 13:27

there has been another thread like this - and i am amazed that food from outside can be brought in

can you discuss it with the nursery

it wouldn't bother me, per se, as DS generally has an excellent diet but if the nursery was serving junky food as well then i would be cross

what is their regular menu like?

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nurseryvoice · 02/03/2009 16:00

we had this problem with one of our mums who kept bringing in junk food for her baby's tea. i had to have a word as it wasnt fair for all the other children to sit there watching her each chocolate biscuits etc
it is difficult though and has to be handled diplomatically as that parent could then pull her child out of nursery....

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RamblingRosa · 03/03/2009 08:30

Thanks for your replies. Glad it's not just me who thinks it's a bit out of order! I don't think I'd mind so much if it was a 'treat' for a birthday party but it wasn't anyone's birthday it was just normal for the mum to treat all the kids to some crisps.

The first time this happened DD was actually under one year old .

I was thinking about saying something to the manager but DP said I shouldn't because it would get the nursery assistant into trouble. I really like the assistants in the room so I don't want to cause any problems for them but I would like to let the manager know that I don't think junk food should be allowed in from outside.

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gladders · 03/03/2009 14:13

personally i think YABU. you don't want your daughter to have any so you don't want any of the children to have any? surely that's a decision for the other parents?

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MarlaSinger · 03/03/2009 14:16

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HensMum · 03/03/2009 14:23

YANBU. I think it's really weird for parents to bring snacks in for other people's children. I don't think any outside food should be allowed, to be honest because it causes these kinds of issues as well as issues with allergies etc.

One of the kids at DS's nursery had a birthday and the parents brought in party bags, but the assistants held on to them and gave them to parents at the end of the day so we could decide what to give our children.

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woodenspoon2 · 03/03/2009 14:23

Eh, food is surely a treat sometimes? For adults and for kids.

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wasabipeanut · 03/03/2009 14:31

YANBU - anything that parents at our nursery bring in gets given to parents.

I still get a bit cross when ds is given things like potato waffles or other crappy food for lunch but the vast majority of the same they have cooked on the premises fresh food so on balance I think its ok.

If I saw him eating wotsits I wouldn't be overly chuffed.

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willowthewispa · 03/03/2009 20:13

The nursery are following your wishes in not giving your dd certain foods - I don't see how you can expect the nursery to prioritise your wishes over all the other parents

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frasersmummy · 03/03/2009 20:25

parents just bring in rubbish randomly??? that seems really wrong

wouldnt happen in our toothkind, healthy eating nursery

parents are aksed not to bring treats in for b/days either. We can have a cake and if we want to put sweeties in the party bags thats fine they can go home with parents

About once a month the staff seem to just say och lets live it up and the kids will get fish fingers chips and beans for lunch and something sweet like doughnuts for snack

I think the staff were in a difficult position .. it seems wrong to make your child feel singled out and yet it would also have been wrong to allow her to have wotsits

They would be better not allowing parents to provide snacks when they feel like it

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smellyeli · 03/03/2009 20:29

YANBU.

DS brought home a little ewoc toy from nursery a while ago.

I said 'Where did you get that?'

'With my Happy Meal Mummy.'



'Don't you know what a happy meal is Mummy? You get them in McDonalds. Why don't we ever go to McDonalds?'

Nursery had taken them for a trip into town and lunch was - Maccy D's. Now every time we pass the blardy golde arches I have to explain why we don't need to go in.......

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ScottishMummy · 03/03/2009 20:32

my nursery only allows fruit in,no junk or crisps.cant bring in cakes for birthday etc but if you give them notice they make one in their kitchen for you

deffo-no wotsits

bleugh,who'd want to give a child that?

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frasersmummy · 03/03/2009 20:35

nursery went to mcd's without telling you??

I would have thought that breached safety rules if nothing else

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ScottishMummy · 03/03/2009 20:36

yuck,all that salt and saturated fat in McD and having to now say no darling every time you pass

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RamblingRosa · 04/03/2009 08:27

at nursery taking the kids to McD's! I'm surprised that a few posters think I'm being V V unreasonable to think the nursery shouldn't allow parents to bring junk food in. The nursery's policy is to provide fresh, healthy food prepared on the premises. It's true that the staff respected my wishes and didn't give the crisps to my DD - which I'm grateful for - but I'm just surprised that they're feeding that kind of rubbish to little toddlers at all.
I like the idea that some people have mentioned on here of giving the 'treats' to the parents at the end of the day so they can decide if they want to give it to their kid or not.
Anyway, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. At the end of the day, she didn't eat the bloomin' wotsits. If it happens again though I may well say something to the manager.

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BonsoirAnna · 04/03/2009 08:30

Agree with the OP - I really don't think the nursery should accept junk food "treats" from parents in this way.

At my DD's pre-school the teacher is very clear that the only time treats are allowed is for birthday celebrations.

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MrsMattie · 04/03/2009 08:32

I used to get pissed off at my son's old nursery giving them crisps like Wotsits/Quavers as part of their tea. I just thought it was so unnecessary. I complained several times and made myself look like a right moaning minnie before they finally conceded that there were better things to feed toddlers with and took crisps off the menu. I'm not even anti a treat or a bit of convenience food now and then and wouldnt mind my children having crisps at parties or on other special occasions - but daily crisps for 18 mth olds just seemed ridiculous.

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rubyslippers · 04/03/2009 08:33

if the nursery policy is to allow fresh food, cooked on the premises then why are they allowing parents to bring stuff in?

Our nursery has a very strict policy re bringing in food from outside - ie it isn't allowed

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notyummy · 04/03/2009 08:36

Perhaps you could syggest that any treats brought in by parents are put in bags and put in the childrens bags to go home at the end of the day with them - that way parents can decide themselves.

That is the practice at our nursery, and it seems to work well.

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oopsagain · 04/03/2009 08:48

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oopsagain · 04/03/2009 08:51

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rubyslippers · 04/03/2009 08:52

a 16 month old has no idea if everyone is eating wotsits and they aren;t though

a 2.5 year old may do

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