to think this is NOT an unhealthy lunch

[ohhifruit]

DStS's teacher (he is in Junior school) pulled me aside after school to say his lunch was deemed 'an unhealthy lunch' and their first step was to give me a 'verbal warning' before writing to me. She even said 'I'm sure you can understand why we think this.'

This is what he had -

• Small pot of home made hummus
• Large wholemeal pitta cut into strips
• A hardboiled egg
• A handful of celery sticks
• A handful of carrot sticks
• A small pot of raisins
• Matchbox sized lump of chedder (which he saved to eat on the way home)
• Satusuma
• Small yoghurt

We've given him sandwiches and he never touches them but dippy types of food are always eaten and he reports how much he enjoys them. He isn't messy, almost to a fault, so I can't see them being bothered about a 'bits and bobs' lunch making a mess.

Is this unhealthy? I am racking my mind to figure out how on earth this is unhealthy? She wouldn't specify, I expect because it wasn't her who saw his lunch but rather it was reported back via lunch time staff.
I feel really annoyed to be told off by the teacher, she was pretty sneery and it wasn't until I got home I realised I should have asked to speak to the head.

Why didn't you ask her what wasn;t healthy?

Maybe she'd one of those people who doesn't think it;s a "Proper" meal without meat?

cheese/egg/chickepeas all have good calories in them same with the pitta bread. Surely it's the same a sandwich?

And this mix up didn't come to light when you asked her to explain what was wrong with the lunch?

Agree with everyone else. That can't be the lunch the comments were made upon .

Dolls, i put a raw carrot in ds2's box everyday knowing i will cook it for tea when he gets home....

I give him a pate if chopped up apples, some grapes or a banana when he gets in which he eats fine but not in his lunch . If i send fruit it comes home fit for nothing

When she said I'm sure you can understand why we think this didn't you say no?

ask to see their qualifications as a dietician to be able to be conducting this punishment. TBH a note to the head teacher and copy in governors asking to see all relevant qualifications and guide lines for this rule and punishment

Why didn't you ask her what was unhealthy about it?

I'd be hopping mad at being given a 'verbal warning' about any lunch, let alone one as healthy as that!!

My friend got a letter home about her children's unhealthy lunch, which was usually a pot of rice salad or a pasta salad which was home made. Turned out a new member of staff who had limited english couldn't understand what the head was talking about when explaining it, so he had said "No sandwiches" and she had sent a letter home because they had a pot of salad.

A 'verbal warning'? Is your DS at a prison camp?

Ask his teacher to stick to the subjects that she's qualified to teach him (obviously not Nutrition) and say you'll continue to feed your DS a proper, well-balanced lunch not that it's any of her business what you feed him

ShatzePage Hardly! He doesn't eat sandwiches so this type of lunch seems the easiest. Sometimes he has a bit pork pie, a piece of cheese, pickled onions and a load of chutney it isn't always as picture perfect as the list above but this was actually a load of leftovers from a carpet picnic over the weekend, wrapped up and shoved in the box this morning.

The idea of it being a mix up didn't occur to me when I was at the classroom door but I do think you could be right and I'll have a word when I drop him off in the morning or tomorrow afternoon when I pick him up.
It's the "verbal warning" bit which got me, I felt like I was being told off. I hope it is a turn of phrase because it's a lovely school and the thought of a verbal warning over something like this is jarring.

Very strange. Agree with all other posters who suggest following up.

Email, include a list of what was in the lunch box. Ask for clarification on what part of the lunch was unhealthy. Request that the school runs a packed lunch workshop led by a qualified dietician, which the mid day meals staff should attend too.

As an assistant head of a primary school, I would want to hug you if today's packed lunch is similar to what you always provide. and make notes so that I can copy your ideas for my own ds' packed lunch

Mine today had a ham sandwiches, crisps, a My-5 and blueberries. I'll just hand myself in to the lunchbox police now, I think.

Fabulously healthy lunchbox, OP. If anything there might be too much for a child to eat in the allotted time, but then they could be a fast eater!

On more inventive days my eldest has home made soup with a roll instead of a sandwich. My youngest will have a big slice of broccoli and cheese quiche as a sandwich alternative. They will both eat pasta salad, or wraps as a change from 50/50 bread.

Erm looks darn healthy to me.

Really DarlingGrace? What do you think cheese, yoghurt, eggs and hummus contain That plus fruit, veg and bread isn't exactly fresh air.

My DS normally has a hummus sandwich, cheese, fruit and crisps and that seems a perfectly normal packed lunch.

That's a textbook healthy lunch!
Home made hummus... I am so ashamed now of the jam sandwich my ds had today!

Is this thread a wind up?

Why do they think it is any of their damn business what you put in the lunch box? This is not the only meal of the day.

well maybe it was all the carpet fluff and the hurried wrapping and shoving that they were objecting to LOL

either a mixup or someone with hummus between their ears!

ask for an explanation.

The school prior to this one had a no sweet treat rule but actually I haven't checked the 'rules' for this school.
And please don't feel like this was a boast, please! My other DS had a peperami in his as he won it in pass the parcel at weekend birthday party. And jam sandwiches feature in his box all the time, however DstS has developed an aversion to sandwiches, even turned his nose up at fairy bread when we went to Australia.

Phantomnamechanger Maybe I should have kept the picnic rug out?

I'd be telling her to stuff her verbal warning up where the sun doesn't shine even if you'd sent him in the worst lunch possible. Oh dear, you might get a letter, then what, house points taken? Some children will get exceptional lunches like yours, some will be sent in with crap. It's the way of the world despite all their big brother nonsense.

Verbal warning? From a teacher? What the actual fuck? Give them a verbal warning back for attempting to give an adult of precisely the same level of authority as them, a verbal warning. I'm serious. Speak over their verbal warning if you get the chance.

Lunatics.

Don't go in all guns blazing tomorrow but ask exactly what it was that was wrong with the lunch.
My guess is they got you mixed up.