Jam sandwiches at wraparound care

Except maybe salt.

My DH is diabetic and his HCP has warned against using diabetic products. Diabetic jams are around 2.5% sugar from fruit and 60% polyols - calorific sweeteners which raise blood sugars less than normal sugar. These can cause various issues, digestive problems and diarrhoea even in small amounts. They advise strictly controlled use of the standard product instead.

I’m not diabetic and DH’s nurse told me that diabetic products like this are not advisable for non-diabetics, and that generally the use of fruit spreads like St Dalfour are preferable as they are 100% fruit and don’t contain any artificial sweeteners.

I don’t think a tiny smear of marmite on white bread is going to contain any noticeable amount of anything.

Everyone suggesting cheese. But most childcare settings have at least a handful of children with dairy allergies so it's much simpler not to offer these things if it's just a quick snack. It's also expensive. Fresh fruit is also expensive, higher risk of choking and probably leaves a lot more food wasted.

B vitamins from the yeast maybe?

I'm pretty laid back around food etc and even I wouldn't have been happy with my kids having cake and jam sandwiches every day......one or the other would be fine. But not both !

Toast and fruit or crackers and cheese is just as easy and cheap to prepare as plates of sandwiches. I think you're right to question this tbh, especially as it's so hypocritical of the school.

if it a real issue then as others have suggested I would send your own snack box for your child to eat at the after school club, and tell them you don’t want her to have the food provided. To be perfectly honest, if it’s cheap bread and cheap ham that is pretty rank and low in nutritional value anyway so the jam probably isn’t a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, send a healthy snack pack and ask them not to give her any other their food seems like the best way around it. Unfortunately due to costs and the absolute dire lack of budget, schools are not able to afford decent produce for their meals, I’ve been a teacher for 15 years and the food is pretty shocking.

It’s all about balance though isn’t it. I have fond memories of being given the choice between a ketchup or sugar sandwich at nursery …. I ate healthy, home cooked meals at home and all was well.

After school clubs generally don’t have cooking facilities and are very pushed for time and resources.

send a sandwich with your child if you don’t want her to eat jam?

Yes marmite, that food renowned for being loved by everyone.

I’d be more likely to complain about the Dairylea than the jam.

And what nutritional value is in marmite?

I wonder if OP is a parent that puts the child to bed quite early and that’s why she’s never hungry?
My DD didn’t grow up in the UK as a toddler, but my coworkers always put their kids to bed really early (6pm - 7pm) so they never seem to have a proper dinner (or what I see as a dinner, I should say).

Apologies if @JBeanGarden has already mentioned what meals DD has, I may have not seen it.

I take your point OP.Surely Marmite or Dairylea would be better. Jam has little nutritional value. and filling up on it is not good.Maybe mention it when you do Pick up and see what they say

Yes, if there's one thing that would fix the British diet it's more ham.

I think this is the best flounce I have ever seen on MNet.

My little niece asked for a jam sandwich recently and I thought it was quite cute, as I hadn't heard of children wanting them for decades! I think they have become popular because they are quick and cheap to serve at the kinds of after school activities she attends (not school) and are a good burst of energy for something like football club, which falls between end of school and supper time at home.

I think things like that are especially popular with kids who have rediscovered Malory Towers via iplayer, and gone on to read the picnic/midnight feast packed Enid Blyton books. 😂 The OP should get her child reading Famous Five books. Those children seemed to eat entire hams, fresh bread, whole tomatoes, and gallons of creamy milk for tea from every farm they hiked past!

Yes but pretty sure it would refer to the whole school offering, lunch included, to be balanced.

and the club is offering alternatives, the child is not choosing them.

bread is an easy way to get carbs into them - again, as part of a balanced diet

I've just made toast and jam. Thanks for the idea OP!

By the way, where do you stand on marmalade?

Wrap-around care isn't held to the same standard as during the day

Why on earth not? It’s no wonder childhood obesity in this country is where it is with attitudes like yours.

OP I would prefer my child to eat cheese instead of jam as well, but not ham.
this looks like something you’ll just have to suck up if you want to continue using the ASC, or send your own food, which your DD will probably not eat.

It’s a snack. Ham, cheese or ham sounds very normal offerings and will cover most dietary needs. If you don’t want her choosing jam 4 days tell her not to but it’s not a battle I’d have had.

A childminder might be a better option. The food they provided at our afterschool club wasn’t great.

There is no over focus on healthy diet in Schools. Recent stats show the NHS are spending £268 billion a year on conditions as a result of ultra processed foods. These are foods made for ultra profit by global investment companies.
These companies hyper focus on junk food. We are so used to it we can't see it. No one else can afford their advertising budgets, no one can compete.
Yes control over family food can cause disordered eating in households, but a family looking at providing as much fresh produce for their children while they can influence what they eat is not the same.
No one is saying your children can't have a packet of crisps, they are asking for them to be given nutritious foods in School as a baseline.

The new government guidelines for Early Years settings (which Reception classes falls under) are quite clear that no unhealthy food, including sugary items, should be offered to children at their setting. Maybe the school haven't included the after school provision in their policy but it should because it's still part of the organisation. There are other options for sandwiches that are quick and not as unhealthy. I would raise it with the head teacher.

My two children pretty much lived on jam sandwiches for prolonged periods of time when small. Both are well grown, fit and very healthy adults.
Your child will be fine.

It’s an UPF which causes microbial gut disruption, behavioural changes including ADHD, developmental issues, not to mention tooth decay.

Jam does not cause ADHD or developmental issues. Educate yourself.