to think we should be able to choose what our kids eat for lunch?

[Cuddler]

My friends son is starting school in September and she has been given a whole list of things he isn't allowed in his lunch box.Not just for allergy reasons,i understand those,but things like,no cheese sandwiches,as thats dairy and carbs together,and no ham as its processed,no yogurts if they have sweeteners in them.No tropical fruits,only berries,apples,pears and peaches,they are better for concentration.no white bread.No pasteurized juice.

I'm not saying that the above isn't true,my kids don't have sugary yogurts or white bread sandwiches,BUT i would like to think they could have them if they wanted to,and i do think that this is going about things in the wrong way?In the grand scheme of things,a cheese sandwich,a frube,a banana and some apple juice isn't that bad is it?I mean it could be worse?

cuddlers are you sure it's not 'suggestions'?
I can't believe its mandatory.

Our sensible school lunchbox rules are
No peanut butter
No fizzy drinks or glass bottles
No chocolates or sweets (tho choccie biccies OK)
er..that's about it.....

Most children seem to take some kind of sandwich, some kind of fruit/veg, some type of yoghurt, a biscuit or crisps and juice/water.

That's daft. There is nothing wrong with a cheese sandwich, or ham or yoghurts.

This is down to the school's choice as although schools have rules and regs to follow about school dinners and packed lunches it certainly doesn't include the above.

As for yoghurts they were the bain of my life when teaching as they tend to get bashed and burst all over lunch boxes but they are a good source of calcium so shouldn't be banned (well maybe on school trips!)

Really sorry. This is not true.

No school would ban cheese sandwiches and bananas.

I think the whole lunchbox food police thing is ridiculous.

There are no bad foods imo just foods you shouldn't eat all day everyday.

They should target those that send their children in with cold macdonalds not those of us that want to send in a piece of cake on a Friday.

timetosmile, there's nothing sensible about "no peanut butter" unless there's a child/ren at the school who are allergic to ground nuts. Likewise there's nothing sensible about banning ground nuts in case of allergies but ignoring tree nuts, which happens quite a lot ime.

No, kiwi and pineapple are not banned, and I wouldn't expect them to be. My DS knows not to eat them, thats all thats needed.
I am also allergic to pineapple, its not a problem, I just don't eat it.

You say this school is in Brighton, OP?

Is it a Primary or Senior school?

well im not making it up fgs!What would be the point of that?

Its a Primary.

Cuddler, no wonder you're in favour of HE. :) So, what's your friend going to do about it? Are they likely to do as I would and ignore the bloody loopy "rules"?

As long as the buns are wholemeal and cheese free UnChartered

Then, your friend is making it up

not fruit ones, of course, in case there was any tropical fruit peel in them?

Don't know why anyone would make it up. Maybe your friend is winding you up? Maybe you're researching an article by encouraging people to tell their extreme stories?

But I refuse to believe that any school would ban bananas!

At DS1's old school we were sent a letter saying "No more Capri Sun's" :)
I would ignore the list and send in as many cheese sandwiches as I like!

Well im not being funny but who on earth would do that?Oh lets make up some random not even that interesting story about lunchboxes and post it on mumsnet and get a reaction.Bloody hell.

bejeezus, i have seen the list,i was at her house,unless she is making it up and printed one off especially.

Grahamtribe,my husband has announced that when he rich enough not to work anymore he is taking the kids out of school,and we are going travelling.Thats sounds good to me :)

I just wondered Penis as it seems that schools are completely misinterpreting guidleines these days as they do not understand the difference between guidance and an absolute rule!

There are many things at schools where this happens, ie not singing baa baa black sheep (of course it should be rainbow sheep ) and many other things like that ie mothers day/fathers day cards and so on, no cuddles etc at pre-schools. No one has actually said you are NOT allowed to do these things but some people seem to get confused!

We are lucky DSs school issues packed lunch guidance and basically says they should have something from all the different groups and that occasional treats are fine as long as the child has a balanced lunch. I give the kids a few crips sometimes as I can't see the issue alongside their otherwise healthy lunch, some schools do not allow crisps.

I would always stick to the peanut thing if asked to (other than the accidental coconut yoghurt which I thought was not actually a nut!).

So, no bananas? Seriously?

''I think the whole lunchbox food police thing is ridiculous.

There are no bad foods imo just foods you shouldn't eat all day everyday.''

I disagree. Although the OP's case is rediculous and completely OTT I do still agree with the lunchbox 'police'.

I have seen children who have come in with chocolate spreadsandwiches on flimsy white bread, followed by 2 bags of crisps and a chocolate biscuit.

I have seen others who have nothing but a sausage roll so the school has to step in and make sure the child isn't left hungry.

These are bad foods that are no good for a child in the middle of a school day.

Everything in moderation - yes. A bunch of crap with no nutricianal benefit at all - no.

Well this is a school dinner menu from the LA at Brighton (can't find the packed lunch guidelines) and they seem to have a few banned foods on it....

www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/cypt/BrightonHove-3choice-weboage.pdf

so is there a list of do's and don'ts with the uniform rules??...maybe they only accept particular brands of footwear..ie clarks £60 a pair or similar???

All hair must be short, back and sides for boys and tied up with string for the girls...??

school bags must be plain with no paraphenalia, colours, pictures, etc on...recommending Antler leather satchels at £££'s...

how far does this school go with their rules and regulations???...I wouldn't be sending my child there!!!

Wow, such stupidity and such despotic behaviour!

A guaranteed way to make kids crave stuff from the banned list even more. Although nothing wrong with craving a banana and ham sandwich as far as I'm aware. I agree with jiggleballs (love the name btw ) that there aren't 'good foods' and 'bad foods'. Just foods you should eat more of and foods you should eat less of.

No bananas? No pasteurised juice? No white bread?

Tell them to fuck off. Seriously. And ask if you can police the lunches consumed in the staff room.