School complaining about dd perfectly normal packed lunch.

[Juk3]

The class TA came out to talk to me yesterday (from a distance) to discuss dd unhealthy lunch and the lunch box policy. The dinner lady assigned to dd raised it and the TA did say she wasn't in the class room during lunch so was just passing on info she had been given. She asked me to have a look on the website for the lunch box policy and try to adhere to it if possible, she was perfectly pleasant and I took my telling off but after reading the policy dd's lunch has not broken any rules. I try to make a variety of different lunches as I wouldn't want to eat the same thing every day myself. If I list yesterday's and today's lunch below could you tell me what's so bad about them as I just don't get it. I am wondering if the there has been a mix up with kids not that I will bring this up with school.

Yesterday:- grilled chicken breast with mayo on a mini wrap with lettuce, cucumber and tomato.
Carrot and red pepper sticks with a single serve pot of humous.
Pot of honeydew melon.
A tube yogurt.
A square of homemade shortbread.
A bag of sliced apple (she usually will have this at break).
Carton of juice

Today:- sliced boiled egg sandwich on 50/50 bread with crusts removed.
Pot of sliced red grapes.
2 mini cucumbers and celery sticks with a single serve pot of humous.
Small bag of mini pretzels.
A bag of sliced apple (usually eaten at break)
Carton of juice

She is 8 (9 in dec) in year 4 perfectly normal height and weight.

@IToldYouIWasFreaky

If you're pushing it, you could say that the first day with the shortbread, and the yoghurt and the melon and the juice is rather sugary but it's far from being "unhealthy" IMHO. I think it is most likely the juice they have issue with, or they've got your DD mixed up with another child.

I agree I think there's been a mix up with another child, very easily done. Perhaps if it happens again ask what is wrong and list the items and teacher should then check for who is at fault. I had a child's lunch yesterday full of crisps, chocolate and even some chewy sweets. He was then on a sugar high all afternoon so the poor packed lunches need to be picked up on, just unfortunate a mistakes been made - they happen.

That’s a reasonably healthy lunchbox.
It could be the juice🤔

Is your dd a slow eater? Maybe it’s the quantity and she takes too long to finish it?

Maybe the teacher had just been told that there was an issue with the lunch box and assumed it was unhealthy food.

Good idea to check with your dd before you write to the school.

It'll be the shortbread. Though of course it's OK for them to dish out chocolate buttons for good behaviour.

Go back and ask them for more of an explanation around the issue as after looking at the website you are unsure what the problem is.

Absolutely ridiculous. Schools are overstepping the line with this level of vigilance. Awful.

Here is the OP's update
I emailed school earlier and the TA came out again at the end of the day to discuss the situation. The offending item was cold pizza which dd has never had on her lunch box so it was a case of mistaken identity

Very healthy indeed. They have perhaps got the children/boxes mixed

can understand health is important but they are treating parents like children here, monitoring lunch boxes!! Your lunches seem very nice and healthy, and if they feel there are some parents who need some help with their choices they could send them letters and meet with them, or send them some menu plans. I am sure nearly all parents are capable of providing health lunches. Maybe it is a mix up? Unless a child has a weight/health issue surely there is no need for this? I am so glad my lot are older, as this sort of 'nannying' as in nanny state, would irritate me.

I bet pizza is on the school lunch menu though!

Oh my god people read the OP's posts!!!

Dear god, I can't believe how authoritarian schools have become policing shortbread, yoghurt and fruit juice! I agree with a previous poster, schools should be there to educate, unless the lunch was a packet of crisps and a bar of chocolate, or containing something harmful they need to keep their beaks out. They'll be dictating what children can eat at home next!

So do they also object to a cheese sandwich? How is that really any different to a cold pizza?
Utterly ridiculous!

All the schools I have worked in have had pizza on the school menu once a week!

Even if it was pizza, there's nothing wrong with that as an occasional lunch, and if my child was picky I'd rather they ate that than nothing. Nanny state indeed.

I expect it's the juice. It's terrible for their teeth. Either that or the hummus, as some types of hummus have pine nuts in.

Just a heads up, the Mayo & tomato in the wraps might make the whole thing mushy by lunchtime. One or the other on their own should be fine but I find whenever Mayo is together with tomato, it becomes a mushy chaos!

'I expect it's the juice ...' has become this thread's 'cancel the cheque'

The OP has been back and updated. It was a case of mistaken identity. The offending item was a slice of cold pizza belonging to another child.

Oh nooo cold pizza, must have been hung over Haha

@bodgeitandscarper

Dear god, I can't believe how authoritarian schools have become policing shortbread, yoghurt and fruit juice!

They haven't, read the OP's updates

[quote ColleagueFromMars]@bodgeitandscarper

Dear god, I can't believe how authoritarian schools have become policing shortbread, yoghurt and fruit juice!

They haven't, read the OP's updates[/quote]
I did thanks and also commented.

I bet pizza is on the school lunch menu though!

These were exactly my thoughts, my DD has been on school lunches for 3 years and just swapped over to my packed lunches. I put in similar to you OP, but without the juice as I think she gets enough sugar as is. However if school ever found a need to pick on my lunches I would be quoting back their school lunch menu at them, which is full of pizza, sticky toffee pudding and custard, ice cream etc. Absolute hypocricy, I really don't understand the level of self-righteousness, even if somebody did put a slice of pizza in there.

Sounds yummy please can you make mine for me!
Joe come no crisps? I no they aren’t healthy but they the best bit when a child x

I would suspect the dinner lady has got your dd mixed up with another child.

Wow! That sounds super healthy actually. Much better than what I take to college..

Cancel the cheque

my child school only ask parents not give nuttella and peanut spread due to nut allergies . I know people who worked in few school kitchens they don't go around examing lunch boxes and telling parents what they can or can't put in . I would just polity say thanks you for advice , it has been noted , swap the juice with water and just keep doing with food as you been doing it .

It wasn't the juice! It was someone else's pizza!