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Original poster

To think it’s a bit unreasonable that children have to have fruit for school snack.

282 replies

MyLittleLove1 · 03/11/2025 07:27

DD’s school have sent a reminder that parents must send their children to school with a fruit snack for morning break. They will not be allowed to have anything else. This is to encourage healthy eating. I do understand this, but my daughter has breakfast at 7 as she is starving when she wakes up, and feel that a piece of fruit isn’t really that substantial for a snack. She would normally have fruit and a snack like some malt loaf. I feel a little against this also because there is so much to having a healthy diet. Many foods are healthy and make a great, filling snack. Why are we being policed on this? Or am I BU?

OP posts:
Schoolchoicesucks · 03/11/2025 08:05

Give her a banana.

ButtonMushrooms · 03/11/2025 08:05

MumChp · 03/11/2025 07:53

An apple is expensive?

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Compared to a biscuit - yes it is.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 03/11/2025 08:04

Whyherewego · 03/11/2025 07:38

My DS won't touch fruit either. No SEN or autism. Cannot stand fleshy seeded stuff including tomatoes.
He will eat any and all veg at 18 and is 6ft tall and well built! So it's done him no harm.
Healthy snack of course that's a good rule. Insisting it has to be fruit specifically. Nope

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I am sure a carrot or chunk of cucumber would be allowed if your DC won't eat fruit but will eat veg

moorishmangoes · 03/11/2025 08:04

Our school has a (IMHO) even worse solution to this - they have a fruit break about 10am, and then a late morning tea, and then a late lunch. The constant snacking does not have a good effect on the DC’s teeth and my dentist is appalled that they are snacking every hour or two all morning. It’s terrible for their teeth!

MrsZiggywinkle · 03/11/2025 08:03

I suspect it’s to encourage healthy eating and FOMO.

The vast majority of kids would rather have the bag of Haribo their friend is having rather than the banana and malt loaf. It’s also easier for the school to police,

SusanChurchouse · 03/11/2025 08:02

MumChp · 03/11/2025 07:59

No, we didnt. We had lunch. No snacks.

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Well there you go. I ate at morning break every day. It was called your ‘play piece’ (I’m in Scotland).

Kirbert2 · 03/11/2025 08:01

SusanChurchouse · 03/11/2025 07:54

Did other people really not eat at morning break growing up? I went to primary school in the 1980s and we had a tuck shop every day. Far from being healthy, it was like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory comprising entirely of sweets and crisps. I don’t remember anyone having fruit. We also had milk of course.

Like a lot of school rules it feels like a sledgehammer to crack a nut (which you aren’t allowed either and actually make a decent snack).

I did.

Fruit until junior school and then it was a free for all. I usually had crisps! This was in the 90's for me.

endofthelinefinally · 03/11/2025 08:01

A banana is perfect.

dottiedodah · 03/11/2025 08:01

Why not give her a boiled egg ? or porridge in the winter .TBH I think an apple or Banana .some grapes or strawberries in Summer should suffice .If she starts School at 9am. and has a break about 10.30, then Lunch 1.pm that should be fine .It's to help teach them to value fruit, rather than a chocolate bar or pack of crisps really.My Son is in his 20s but a similar rule at his primary school .

HardyWeinbergEquation · 03/11/2025 08:01

Alpacajigsaw · 03/11/2025 07:53

Or just don’t bother, let kids bring what they want, and teachers stick to their job of teaching?

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I wish!

I might not have left the profession if this was the case.

MumChp · 03/11/2025 07:59

SusanChurchouse · 03/11/2025 07:54

Did other people really not eat at morning break growing up? I went to primary school in the 1980s and we had a tuck shop every day. Far from being healthy, it was like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory comprising entirely of sweets and crisps. I don’t remember anyone having fruit. We also had milk of course.

Like a lot of school rules it feels like a sledgehammer to crack a nut (which you aren’t allowed either and actually make a decent snack).

No, we didnt. We had lunch. No snacks.

Icecreamandcoffee · 03/11/2025 07:59

Another vote for snack on the way in then fruit at break. From a school perspective fruit is much easier to police than "healthy snack" which at DDs school encompasses cereal bars, fruit and nut protein bars, winders, vegetable crisps, fruit, chapattis, stuffed mini naans. It's a nightmare for the staff as they need to check everything for nuts and other allergens.

SoSoLong · 03/11/2025 07:59

ButtonMushrooms · 03/11/2025 07:50

I think fruit should be filling enough as a snack for a child who has had breakfast. The thing that would worry me about this is that fruit is expensive compared to other snacks. What about the people who are struggling financially?

An apple is what, about 30p? A banana is less. You wouldn't be able to buy a packet of crisps or small bar of chocolate for that. Unless the snack is one digestive, that would be cheaper.

MinnieCauldwell · 03/11/2025 07:55

curious79 · 03/11/2025 07:31

She doesn’t even need a snack - it’s good to let kids learn feelings of hunger

franky having a piece of fruit is fantastic and something I wish my kids’ schools had enforced

I know, when did snacks become such a thing? I don't remember ever having one, no kids did when I was growing up. Humans are not supposed to be feeling continually full.

SusanChurchouse · 03/11/2025 07:54

Did other people really not eat at morning break growing up? I went to primary school in the 1980s and we had a tuck shop every day. Far from being healthy, it was like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory comprising entirely of sweets and crisps. I don’t remember anyone having fruit. We also had milk of course.

Like a lot of school rules it feels like a sledgehammer to crack a nut (which you aren’t allowed either and actually make a decent snack).

Alpacajigsaw · 03/11/2025 07:53

Laiste · 03/11/2025 07:40

Trouble is as soon as you deviate from 'fruit or nothing' some parents will always just send in what they can arsed to grab out if the cupboard please.

Then you're into drawing up guidelines, sending out guidelines, people wanting to move the goal posts, teachers and TAs having to watch the kids, notice who's regularly deviating from guidelines, record it, speak to parents get moaned at watch to see if they take note, record it, speak again , and again and again .....

Over how many classes? How many staff hours is that going to take up?

Or just don’t bother, let kids bring what they want, and teachers stick to their job of teaching?

MumChp · 03/11/2025 07:53

ButtonMushrooms · 03/11/2025 07:50

I think fruit should be filling enough as a snack for a child who has had breakfast. The thing that would worry me about this is that fruit is expensive compared to other snacks. What about the people who are struggling financially?

An apple is expensive?

ThejoyofNC · 03/11/2025 07:51

I can assure you, your child is not starving in-between breakfast and lunch.

Ddakji · 03/11/2025 07:51

Azandme · 03/11/2025 07:38

God knows how we made it through the school day! Snacks weren't an option.

Being hungry isn't a bad thing, but a good breakfast with protein, and a piece of fruit mid morning should get her to lunch with no problems.

What does she have for breakfast?

I was at school in the 70s and 80s and we all had a mid morning biscuit.

Dunnocantthinkofone · 03/11/2025 07:50

HeddaGarbled · 03/11/2025 07:47

‘Snacks’ is a bit of a modern obsession. They don’t really need one at all. It won’t kill them to go a few hours without eating.

Yep. Encouraged by the food industry over many years solely to sell us more of their UPF crap and increase their profits

ButtonMushrooms · 03/11/2025 07:50

I think fruit should be filling enough as a snack for a child who has had breakfast. The thing that would worry me about this is that fruit is expensive compared to other snacks. What about the people who are struggling financially?

BallerinaRadio · 03/11/2025 07:50

Fruit only is a simple, easy to understand rule so I get it.

Your child isn't going to starve without a snack

Alpacajigsaw · 03/11/2025 07:49

I think fruit is fine but I’m sick of school policing kids diets. Yes I appreciate some kids may have shit parents who don’t feed them a healthy diet but that’s not school’s problem to solve. They are there to educate. All seems pointless anyway as when they get to high school all manner of junk food is freely available

Octavia25 · 03/11/2025 07:48

A banana is more filling than say an apple. My dcs didn’t like cereal so had cooked breakfast, usually booked eggs and whole meal toast or omelette and baked beans, fills you up longer.

HeddaGarbled · 03/11/2025 07:47

‘Snacks’ is a bit of a modern obsession. They don’t really need one at all. It won’t kill them to go a few hours without eating.

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