Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Lunch box police

79 replies

custardbear · 25/04/2021 07:17

We had a note in the newsletter this week aski parents to refrain from putting chocolate biscuits into lunch boxes and listing a pile of healthy snacks to chose instead.

I just checked the school menu and their pudding choices include
Marble cake
Brownie
Honey cake
Scone with jam and cream
Cornflake tart
Caramel tart

WTF?! why can't my child have a healthy lunch plus a chocolate treat like a penguin etc?!

OP posts:
Sarcobaleno · 25/04/2021 08:30

Agree it's hypocritical entirely OP, I would be pointing this out to the school. In their defence they are probably fine about a single chocolate biscuit. I work in a primary school and never fail to be shocked at the contents of some lunch boxes. Nothing but sugary, processed crap.

Original poster
custardbear · 25/04/2021 08:31

My DH drops off so I've told him to just mention it's a bit hypocritical considering their school menu - which he agreed was so. We only got this message on Friday so not feedback as yet

OP posts:
Regulus · 25/04/2021 08:33

beingatwat cold happy meals used to 😲 me.

I see the point of the desserts being low sugar but it's the message it's sending.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General food
Original poster
custardbear · 25/04/2021 08:36

It's tricky with my child as he is funny with food - thinking he may have some ASD type traits but don't think it's ASD. So he'll gladly eat a cheese sandwich, cheese and crackers, babybel, carrots (albeit recently has taken to the opposite and only eating cooked carrots, after having 9 years of only eating raw ones!) breadsticks - he does enjoy a treat though like crisps/ pretzels and a penguin or similar - won't entertain yoghurt or jelly etc

OP posts:
SushiGo · 25/04/2021 08:38

Honestly, they probably aren't bothered about your child's single chocolate biscuit. It'll be because there are kids getting 5 chocolate biscuits, crisps and no fruit or veg.

Not having a sweet pudding daily isn't a huge deal though. Sometimes I send mine with a bit of proper cake and sometimes I send rice cakes, sometimes just yoghurt and frozen fruit. They're used to it and don't complain.

SnugglySnerd · 25/04/2021 08:38

I have tried the pudding at dd's school as they invite the parents in for lunch when they are in Reception. It is healthy versions of pudding without sugar. A lot of the kids were leaving it.
I think the problem with packed lunches is that some parents would send in only sweets, cake, crisps etc.
I work in a secondary school where the food from home isn't monitored and I am always shocked by the number of children who bring in a whole tube of Pringles or share pack of Doritos plus an energy drink for their snack. Probably they have bought them on the way to school rather than parents sending them with it but I think many people do need guidance about healthy lunches and children need to get in good habits from an early age.
By that I don't mean never eating sweets or chocolate but understanding that these are not every day foods that we have for lunch.

CeibaTree · 25/04/2021 08:41

[quote custardbear]@CeibaTree - breadsticks is something they've suggested we do use as a healthy snack! Along with popcorn, cheese and crackers, fruit and veg[/quote]
You school is less draconian than ours then! I wouldn't mind those options for a snack. But if you want to give your child a sweet treat in their lunch box and it's not breaking any safety rules like no nuts, then it's not really any of their business, and I would push back a bit if I were you - especially given the school dinner pudding options..

beginningoftheend · 25/04/2021 09:17

I'd complain and potentially ask other parents to do so too.

My child eats an really good diet. Report me to social services for Penguin biscuit if you want. Back off nosey parkers.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 25/04/2021 09:24

I challenged the school lunches on welfare standards of the meat. They didn’t have an answer. I challenged them on the nutritional value of their school lunch consisting of

Doughy pizza with a scrape of tomato sauce and about 2 bits of grated cheese. Bread and butter pudding and a slice of cheap while bread.

If they ever feel the need to speak to me about my packed lunch I will be reminding them of that particular gem.

Iamnotthe1 · 25/04/2021 09:34

[quote custardbear]@Cupcakegirl13 - I may do the same to be honest - shrieks of 'allowable if you pay for pudding, but not if you're packed lunches' [/quote]
You understand that the school doesn't get the money paid for school lunches, don't you? If the dinner system is still council run (rare), it's the council. If it's a contracted company (most are now), it's the company.

School puddings are typically made in a way that keeps them healthier than they would normally be, including, with some puddings, incorporating hidden veg/fruit into the process. All primary schools meals, when looked at as a whole structure, must meet very clear and strict nutrition guidelines. At secondary school, they don't as the kids just buy whatever they want but, at primary, they have to monitor and report on this.

The same level of monitoring and control of the general levels of nutrition doesn't exist for packed lunches, which may be why they are stating no chocolate biscuits.

user1471538283 · 25/04/2021 09:48

The majority get punished for the minority. A small candy bar for after lunch shouldnt be an issue if the rest of the lunch is good. They also dont see the food your child has the rest of the week.

My DS had a friend who would only eat bread and water for lunch. The school didnt say anything. Bizarrely he is as fit as a flea on the most limited diet!

I would point out their double standards.

romdowa · 25/04/2021 09:55

The primary school next to my mothers house insists that everything is home made 😂😂 they also have a minimum amount of fruit/ veg that must be included every day and only allow water to drink.

Tlollj · 25/04/2021 10:02

Perhaps they should tell the neglectful parents off and leave the rest of us alone then.
More money spent on school dinners to make them more appealing is the long term answer surely.

neroforte · 25/04/2021 10:05

@SnugglySnerd

I have tried the pudding at dd's school as they invite the parents in for lunch when they are in Reception. It is healthy versions of pudding without sugar. A lot of the kids were leaving it. I think the problem with packed lunches is that some parents would send in only sweets, cake, crisps etc. I work in a secondary school where the food from home isn't monitored and I am always shocked by the number of children who bring in a whole tube of Pringles or share pack of Doritos plus an energy drink for their snack. Probably they have bought them on the way to school rather than parents sending them with it but I think many people do need guidance about healthy lunches and children need to get in good habits from an early age. By that I don't mean never eating sweets or chocolate but understanding that these are not every day foods that we have for lunch.
i left secondary school last year, and this is what my friends and i would take almost every day! Grin we'd buy the £1 litre bottles of energy drink, and drink it on the field to hide it from the teachers who'd try to confiscate it from us! Grin
BrownEyedGirl80 · 25/04/2021 10:10

I work in a school and like pp said the puddings are low sugar,they're not allowed to add salt to the food either.

Whinge · 25/04/2021 10:12

@romdowa

The primary school next to my mothers house insists that everything is home made 😂😂 they also have a minimum amount of fruit/ veg that must be included every day and only allow water to drink.
So I could send in a huge homemade pizza but not a sandwich? Since i'd be buying the bread and filling from a shop.

Or do you mean the treats have to be homemade, rather than the entire lunch?

rc22 · 25/04/2021 10:15

At the school I work at something like a Penguin or KitKat would be fine. A full size Mars bar or Crunchie, for example, would be discouraged.

SushiGo · 25/04/2021 10:25

@romdowa

The primary school next to my mothers house insists that everything is home made 😂😂 they also have a minimum amount of fruit/ veg that must be included every day and only allow water to drink.
That's a clever policy. Making it yourself takes more time, so you'll end up not putting as many treats in.

I work full time (as loads of parents do) so definitely not cranking out a tray of cakes if we run out of snacks mid-week! And no harm done to the kids for having dried fruit instead.

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 25/04/2021 10:54

Best or not packed lunches I have seen include: chicken nuggets and cold chips wrapped in newspaper where the print had come off on the food,(a free school dinner was given) a McDonalds happy meal delivered to the school ten minutes before lunchtime, chocolate spread sandwiches, a pain au chocolat and two chocolate mousses with a frij chocolate shake.

Can I just say that sometimes the portions are not small and watching children trying to get through a portion of sponge the size of a small brick can make you step in and tell them to stop once they have had enough.

As A teacher I am now on cleaning duties at lunchtimes and any lunch with rice, noodles dry sponge or jelly is a nightmare to clean off the tables so they are sanitised ready for the next bubble!

Mollymalone123 · 25/04/2021 10:58

We had a child who regularly had nothing but about 5/5 chocolate items and nothing else in their lunchbox.we haven’t been allowed to give out sweets/cake for years on birthdays

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 25/04/2021 11:35

Presumably, every year you sign the Home-School agreement that says you will follow the school’s policies? That includes lunchbox rules even if you think they’re stupid.

Original poster
custardbear · 25/04/2021 11:51

@BeingATwatItsABingThing - I haven't for a while to be honest. However, just because the school makes up a new rule (this was in this weeks news letter) doesn't mean it can't be challenged - we don't have to be sheep who just follow new rules without question

OP posts:
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 25/04/2021 12:41

You can question it, sure. Be prepared for them to explain it though and to follow their policy. 🤷‍♀️

LaBellina · 25/04/2021 12:43

I would tell them to mind their own business.
It’s not up to them to decide what your dc eats for lunch. I bet other parents are just as annoyed and will soon follow your example if you go against their ridiculous policy.

OverTheRainbow88 · 25/04/2021 12:46

Schools have a duty of care towards children; and this involves their physical health.

The puddings given by school are usually very low sugar/no sugar and a small portion.

It’s easier for a school to say no choc/crisps etc than say only 1-2 biscuits. Some kids would come in with 10 biscuits and 3 packets of crisps.

At the end of the day they are trying to do what’s best/healthiest for the children.