To think cheese is a healthy snack?

[insuranceidiot]

Maybe I am. I gave my LB cheese chunks in a little pot and a small bottle of water for his Break today on his first day in Primary school. He loves this and has it at home. He came home with a note saying in future to send a healthy nutritious snack in future.

Can I ask what u would send as a Healthy snack to school please?

Nicky and Hedda - thank you! I've just laughed so hard that tea has shot out of my nose

Cheese is fine IMO - new research on fats says so too. Don't belive in low fat anything here and all 8 kids I have brought up are a healthy weight. I would be very annoyed.

I must admit I'd print off and send in information about the respective nutrition values and sugary fruit and ask them why cheese isn't healthy. I do think schools need to be challenged occasionally.

I'd be tempted to send a note back saying "Please let me decide what to feed my child".

Can't stand the insane food police mentality that seems to have gripped British schools recently.

Yes cheese is healthy, maybe next time send half the amount of cheese and add cut up grapes/cucumber sticks or some breadsticks but of course only if your child will eat them. Schools seem to think they know your child best nowadays!

Obviously cheese is good in moderation but might they be concerned at the salt content? A 30g portion of cheddar has about as much salt as a packet of crisps. It is obviously only a problem if the portions are large and/or they are getting too much salt elsewhere but might the school have guidelines on fat/sugar/salt in snacks?

I love cheese and would happily give a few chunks as a kids snack so it is not something I've ever personally stressed out about but I used to cook for a charity feeding people with complex medical conditions and we had to be very careful about salt for some people.

Children also need salt.

After running around like mad at breaks and lunch time and sweating like piglets, they need their Sodium levels replaced.

Don't the school provide snacks up to Year 2? I thought all schools did as part of the free school meals in KS1 thing.

Mind you, according to DS, last term for about a month the morning snack consisted of 3 green beans each. I didn't bother enquiring further because I forgot about it but I must admit I'd be pretty to be offered that myself and DS was appalled!

Is it considered too high in salt?

Oops sorry, crossed post

When my DD starts school I will 100% tell anybody who polices her lunch box to get stuffed.
Yanbu. Cheese is fine, healthy and filling for a snack.

"Not only are dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt excellent sources of protein, but they also contain valuable calcium, and many are fortified with vitamin D. Choose skim or low-fat dairy to keep bones and teeth strong and help prevent osteoporosis".

Oh dear. My DD1 gets a packet of crisps or a couple of biscuits for playtime. Her school isn't bothered. She's a slim, healthy active child with a very varied diet. I don't think that it's really the school's place to be dictating snacks to parents. Luckily DD's school agrees. This would make me furious!

I'd send a note in with more cheese saying "This is a healthy and nutritious snack."

Then I'd make a point of speaking to the staff to discuss it further. I hate it when adults try to apply their quasi-healthy "diets" to children. Muller Lights and fruit flakes. Ugh.

When I was a school nurse I used to spend a lot of time liaising with primary schools about their lunchbox policies. Drove me bloody bananas.

Isn't this type of attitude from the school how we have ended up with an epidemic of eating disorders? Cheese is healthy for children in small amounts as part of a balanced diet, you are more qualified to make the decision on whether DCs diet is balanced or not. i would be fighting this one...

Fine in small amounts, I'd have thought. It's high in fat (ok for children) and salt but surely ok once a day. Maybe add a couple of oatcake crackers or sticks of carrot?

My DS new nursery is a bit like this - they make all their own organic food (great) but we can't send any snacks with nuts or eggs in. Obviously I get why and nuts are a common allergy... but I struggle a bit with the no egg thing they're nutritious and in so many things! Can't send hummus, fresh pasta, quiche, drop scones - loads of 'tea' type things. Today he's got pitta with a bit of cheese and tomato and an Ella's fruit pouch.

Cheese isn't just 'fat' - it also has calcium and protein in it. Children's nutritional needs are different from adults. They need fat to grow.,

Cheese is perfect for a mid-morning snack for a busy child!

I work in a primary school which specifies fruit or veg for snacks. If parents are unhappy with that (and I think they may well have a point tbh) then I would suggest going in to the school and pleasantly asking about the reasons for this, and would there be any real objection to cheese or another perfectly healthy alternative.

I remember when I first started at the school, almost all children brought in crisps for a snack, and I remember one child whose lunch everyday consisted of a giant bar of fruit and nut chocolate! Schools were then very much encouraged to bring in healthy eating policies, which have maybe now gone too far and need a bit of thought and flexibility.

As with everything concerning schools, the best way is to talk to them! Or, even better, get on to the board of governors and be involved in the making of new policies. Posters suggesting that you tell the school to "fuck off" are just ridiculous.

My DD changed schools last year. The first asked them to be sent with a piece of fruit for one break and a sandwich/cereal bar/flapjack for the other. The new one sent a similar message home for me saying only fruit or veggies. I wouldn't have minded except the flapjack I sent her with was only made with fruit and oats! I think it's just the way with lots of schools now.

Cheese is fat chunks. I love cheese but it isn't healthy

Utter bollocks. Fat and protein are filling, they stabilise your appetite and you won't get a sugar crash shortly after like you would with fruit, veg or carby snacks like crackers.

Cheese is a perfect snack.

They gave fruit or carrots at dds school for reception and yr1. I also thought it was a legal requirement.

They don't police at dds school. Children aren't meant to take some things but they seem to take anything including winders, cheese strings, chocolate covered raisins etc according to DD, who used to get annoyed I would only give her these very occasionally. Now she picks what she want from her packed lunch if she's hungry.

Cheese is a perfectly healthy snack.
Tell them to educate themselves

I missed that amusedbush - apt name for the topic (amuse bouche). Agreed. Of course cheese is healthy. The low fat, high carb diet we've been fed since the 60's/70's is unhealthy. Just watch a film from the 50's to see how thin most people were.

Cheese is fat chunks. I love cheese but it isn't healthy

I hope you're not telling other people that shit.