This was the contents of an 8 year olds lunchbox.

[IAm1]

Nutella sandwich
Bar of dairy milk
Pot of joy
2 custard creams
Cheese string.

Dd asked me if she could have a big chocolate bar in her lunch box. I said no so she declared that Chloe gets all of the above.

I didn't believe her at first but when dd said at the school gates ' my mum doesn't believe you get a whole chocolate bar for lunch'
Chloe nodded and showed me the contents. Her mum stood smiling and nodding and I felt embarrassed.

I didn't really know what to say so just laughed and said goodbye to dd then walked off.

Would you feed your dc that?

@ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble

DD has days when her lunch would give half of MN the vapours. Jam sandwich An apple An actimel A pot of grapes A bag of crisps If she's really lucky winders or one of the small kitkats.

On the good days replace the jam with cheese. Total pain in the butt that kid.

It's the school's fault for not providing hot lunches anymore.

That's not bad. An apple, Actimel and grapes are healthy. I can't imagine a jam sandwich for lunch but why not? Especially if she has cheese instead on some days.

Sucks to the lunchbox inspectors.

I can believe a chocolate lunch. I helped out on a school trip and one child in my group had a packed lunch consisting entirely of several varieties of mr Kipling cakes.

I keep DSs lunches healthy out of embarrassment. He has each item listed with its carb content for insulin dosage.(we had a bag of crisps explode everywhere once then a poor dinner lady in a panic trying to work out how many carbs were in some roast potatoes to feed him). I would feel judged if I was sending junk every day.

My lunch box in the late 90s was a Nutella sandwich, Aero yoghurt and a Rocky, with Quavers at break time. My mother was a teacher

I have to admit I feel sorry for this child. For whatever reason that she has this packed lunch, whether it's the only types of food she will eat or her mother indulging her too much - it's just too much sugar. I'm diabetic so perhaps feel more strongly when it comes to sugar.

Also she will have other children in envy of her lunch and thinking it's brilliant she can have those foods. So even if she wasn't particularly fussy, she will be feeling extra special she has such a sugary lunch compared to a more normal sandwich etc. Not a great foundation for healthy eating habits in the future.

I thought my children were fussy as they refuse raw carrot, cucumber but I still try and make their lunch balanced according to what they do eat and I have been surprised that they eat things they don't eat at home, like raw tomatoes, peppers, sugar snaps so they get these in their lunchbox now. I think children sometimes are more adventurous at nursery or school than at home. Mine certainly are. When it's important to eat enough fruit and veg everyday why wouldn't you at least try to include it in one meal?

I'm really shocked reading that, where are the crisps? How do you have a sandwich for lunch and no crisps? It's just not right.

Also she will have other children in envy of her lunch and thinking it's brilliant she can have those foods.

Yes very true. My dd has already asked if she could have a big chocolate bar in her lunchbox. This is what started the whole conversation.
We will often have chocolate for pudding so that's why I don't like her having it at school too.

We will often have chocolate for pudding so that's why I don't like her having it at school too.

and may be the child has a plate of vegetables for her tea.

Pot (of Joy) and kettle.....

@Sargass0

We will often have chocolate for pudding so that's why I don't like her having it at school too.

and may be the child has a plate of vegetables for her tea.

Pot (of Joy) and kettle.....

Maybe 🤷🏼‍♀️

My daughter's school allows chocolate and crisps. We do, however, have a highly mixed catchment and I think the school are realistic as to what some families can likely afford. My 8 year old has:

• chedder cheese sandwich on white bread
• a handful of seedless grapes
• a handful of cherry tomatoes
• an innocent smoothie
• a bag of crisps (she likes monster munch or onion rings)
• a cake bar or chocolate biscuit (such as a gold bar)

If she's attending after school wrap around, then I'll pop in an apple too.
I don't mind her taking chocolate or crisps in as long as they're balanced with other things.

Dd had a friend with similar lunch box contents. Tell your dd that this little girl landed up having 6 teeth removed surgically and will probably go on to get diabetes - it’s not all fun and chocolate.

Op my dd is a night mare to feed. She was ebf then I carried on till she was 3.

Ie I thought bf babies had wider taste!
We eat a very good range of food, good diets, slightly too sweet but generally good.

My dd would probably want that packed lunch.
After speaking to a doctor about it he said dc with narrow appetites better to keep them going and fed and over time introduce new stuff.

You shouldn't judge really. For us it's a constant issue trying to slip in healthy food every meal time.
If you have a child that sits quite still, concentrates and loves their food.. Eats slowly, then be very greatful.
My dd would never sit in a high chair, be strapped in anywhere... Etc. Sit still at a table... It's been a constant problem.
Personally I wouldn't do the chocolate bar but again don't judge.

It’s all about the Demographics

Fennel, much of teeth issues is also genetic, and what bacteria dp have and what they pass onto their dc when sharing utensils when babies.
Plenty of people have a sweet tooth, and don't have dental issues.

I know I was one of them, I'm well over 40 and I have one filling. My dm and df also had excellent teeth.

I have a friend with excellent diet who has had endless tooth issues since young.
Unless they have literally been drinking squash out of a bottle etc I wouldn't necessarily assume poor teeth are down to poor diet.

And education

And giving fruit and chockates or biscuits is still double sugar!

Yy to education I wonder how many mm who physically force their dc to brush their teeth when they refuse for one day... Have unwittingly used shared utensils and saliva... And given them teeth bacteria causing problems later?

I was reminded of this thread yesterday as my dd came home from school yesterday and asked me if she could have a doughnut in her lunchbox every day from now on...apparently a boy in her class has a doughnut every day. Like I said, I'm easy going generally over food but I told her no, we won't be doing that.

I love a pot of joy

I would love some joy. I had a bit of chocolate cake earlier so have to make do.

I'm in Canada and just google Pot of Joy. We have no Joy here, but we do have snow, and it's -8. I'll say it again, there is no Joy here.

@pigandmonkey

I'm in Canada and just google Pot of Joy. We have no Joy here, but we do have snow, and it's -8. I'll say it again, there is no Joy here.

You have hockey. We have no hockey this year 💜🥺

@pigandmonkey I'd swap a whole tray of Pots of Joy for five mins in Canadian snow!

@pigandmonkey

I'm in Canada and just google Pot of Joy. We have no Joy here, but we do have snow, and it's -8. I'll say it again, there is no Joy here.

You have skating to work along a frozen river (according to Joni Mitchell, who is obviously a reliable factual authority figure). That would be amazing.

I don't have DC this age, so no skin in the game. But I want to point out to the parents who give a medium to high sugar lunch, and justify it saying it isn't representative of the rest of the meals given at home. How does help the teacher, class and your child when they have sugar rush behaviour and energy peaks and crashes while in school in the afternoon?
Frube is 7% sugar, not sugar-free. The biggest ingredient in a tracker type cereal bar is usually glucose syrup & sugar. Depending on type, possibly with added sugar in chocolate chips.
I'm sure many parents aim to provide sugar-free and artificial sweetener free packed lunches, but there's a lot of 'treat mentality' on this thread. It's daily lunch.

Crisps,
White bread,
An innocent smoothie is 28g sugar (31% sugar),
A cake or chocolate bar,
A handful of grapes,
An apple.

So not much sugar in that meal, then?

I am probably 5 times the bodyweight of your 8/9/10 year old DC. If I ate all that sugar in one meal (with white bread too) I'd definitely feel ill. If I ate it 5 days a week I'm pretty sure I'd have diabetes in no time.