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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think cheese is a healthy snack?

331 replies

insuranceidiot · 31/08/2016 21:07

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?

OP posts:
neveradullmoment99 · 02/09/2016 19:15

Maybe they thought it was white chocolate?
To hell with them. Its up to you how you feed your child. Cheese is fine anyway. What utter nonsense. Phone and ask to speak to someone in the school. Totally unreasonable of them.

MistressDeeCee · 02/09/2016 19:28

I low-carb. & I eat cheese from time to time ok 3 times weekly then Id rather eat cheese, which is almost carb-free , than a load of tooth enamel shrivelling fruit. My fruit quota comes from not-from-concentrate packaged juices, and I drink it through a straw I quite like having good teeth thanks. I wonder about the effect of biting into fruit daily on childrens' teeth

There's so much paranoia around fat, whats wrong with just reading up on the bad fats to avoid, having the good fats (you're messing up your body by not having them anyway), do a bit of exercise a few times a week and don't worry about it.

Food is too enjoyable to bring misery into it
All this introducing misery to food

mermaid8 · 02/09/2016 19:33

Cheese is not healthy. It is one of the best things ever invented though.

Carriadd · 02/09/2016 19:36

Glad my kids are no longer in school. I would have had something to say to these people telling me what my kids can and cannot eat. I know whats best for them and us as a family and how we choose to eat.

BurningBridges · 02/09/2016 19:37

Cheese and jam? In white bread of course. Seriously, I think mistress above has a point, both my dentist and kids' nutritionist warned against too much whole fruit - would you believe it?!

RabbitSaysWoof · 02/09/2016 19:38

Cheese is great for a four year old, calorie wise a few cubes of cheese is probably on a par with the little bottles of full fat milk we had as children before there were so many over weight children around.
I get sick of all the fruit pushing in schools no wonder so many have teeth problems when it becomes compulsory to eat sugar between meals.
My dentist told us fruit is fine as part of a meal but to try to keep snacks savoury. We don't actually snack at all but my child's school give fruit out as snack.

Rainemclachlan · 02/09/2016 19:59

My dentist told me that cheese is better for my dds teeth than fruit and that if she has fruit to follow it up with cheese or chocolate to neutralise the acid. Wtf?

MiaowTheCat · 02/09/2016 20:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cheval · 02/09/2016 20:22

It's cheese, not lumps of lard! Protein, which will keep child going, calcium, excellent for young growing bones. Delicious with a few grapes to satisfy taste buds. Tell that school to get a grip!

emmawarner86 · 02/09/2016 20:37

Do they not have better things to do? And on the first day!

Lweji · 02/09/2016 20:41

Cheese is not healthy.

It doesn't kill you or make you ill.
It makes you less hungry.
It has protein.
It has calcium.
It has fat (yes, we do need it).
It has vit. A
It can have vitamin B12, vitamin B2 and folate.
It has zinc, phosphorus, magnesium.
It is low in lactose, thus ok for lactose intolerant people.

Can you explain how it's not healthy?

Daydream007 · 02/09/2016 20:54

FGS, there are far worse things to eat than cheese!

MelbourneClown03 · 02/09/2016 20:55

Primary school teacher here. IMO, I would consider a few cubes of cheese (and maybe 1 or 2 crackers) as a very healthy snack for my 4 year olds. My class run around like maniacs during playtime. Any fat they've ingested through a few cheese cubes is probably burnt off in the playground. I would much rather have a child in my class chomping down on some cheese than sucking on a sugary carton of 'smoothy'.

futurelotterywinner · 02/09/2016 21:03

Haven't read all the posts, so apologies if already said!
Cut the school some slack! I work in a school and things like this are dictated to us! We also only allow fresh fruit and veg, to be honest, it would be much easier to not enforce it! The complaints we've had off parents are a nightmare! Technically even dried fruit and fruit products such as those 'yo yo' roll ups are not allowed as they contain high levels of sugar! Cheese contains high levels of cholesterol, saturated fat and salt, which unfortunately makes it an unhealthy snack, despite the calcium and other benefits (again, not my or schools' opinion, what we have to follow)
As a school were currently technically against regulations as we allow children to bring cake on their birthday and give treats on fun days (all be it not much!) you are literally supposed to give fruit or veg for a treat! (Can see the kids loving a chunk of cucumber instead of chocolate at Easter!)
Anyway, not being the fun police, don't agree with it all myself, just grates on me seeing so many negative comments directed at schools when it really is out of our hands!!!!!
Peace out!

MrsCockwomble · 02/09/2016 21:06

What the actual f*?

Cheese is a VERY healthy and nutritious snack for a growing child! It contains calcium, and fats which are essential for growth, and it is also good for their teeth - which is why the French eat cheese after dessert!

There are far too many myths about fat being bad - when sugar is the real baddy! Most natural fats are good for us!

HairyLittlePoet · 02/09/2016 21:07

Having read a stupid amount recently on the hideous public health impact of "low fat high carb" diets, I would suggest the school stick to their area of expertise which clearly falls outside healthy eating knowledge.

Cheese is a perfectly healthy snack, and this is your healthy choice for your child - you are right. They have no place suggesting otherwise and are simply wrong.

YeOldMa · 02/09/2016 21:12

The school are singing to Govt guidelines which are way out of date according to new research. I expect they are still saying that eggs should be restricted. When you look at what the school meals are these days, you can't help wondering how schools can be so hypocritical.

caitlinohara · 02/09/2016 21:16

I blame Jamie Fucking Oliver, the sanctimonious twat.

Sorry, bad day AngryBlush

Dogcatred · 02/09/2016 21:22

It will take the NHS and schools about 20 years to realise fat is good. All the latest science proves it.

However I am not a dairy fan - there are better ways to get your good fats.
Fruit shoudl be avoided really too and schools saying it's great need to look up fructose on line.

If children have a big breakfast at home and a good lunch they don't need snacks at all. It is the constant eating and snacks which is making people fatter and fatter these days.

Dizzybintess · 02/09/2016 21:24

This really boils my piss too and does not form a healthy balanced approach to diet in my view.
I work in a school and can't understand the rule
We have had kids bring in hummus and ryveta fingers, low fat cheese, yogurt, rice cakes and we have had to ask parents not to send them in.
It's all to do with the government.

bumpetybumpbumpbump · 02/09/2016 21:27

This would annoy me too. Cheese is better for a young child than stupid fruit winders or yo yo bears. Unprocessed , proper food and so delicious!

What a first world problem

Pointless snacking on cucumberGrin

Dizzybintess · 02/09/2016 21:28

My mate works for flying start and they had a load of Easter eggs donated to them for the kids. Sadly they were not allowed to give them out and had to donate them on to my ranger guides. A little bit of what you fancy does you good. There will be a whole generation of kids who won't touch fruit or veg or water after they leave school as its been drummed in so much

BlackSwan · 02/09/2016 21:28

I just had a health review, was told I need to gain weight... but to eat less cheese. Did I say I ate cheese? No. Somehow they could tell. Apparently I need lean chicken weight, not mac and cheese weight. Go figure.

genius1308 · 02/09/2016 21:28

Have you asked the school WHY they say it's unhealthy. As previously stated fruit most fruit contains citric acid which is much more harmful to teeth if eaten in between meals. Maybe it could be the salt content as many cheeses are high in salt so should be limited for children? Or maybe,as someone else said, school thought it was something different? I always remember getting told off on a school trip (when I was in infants) for eating my dessert before my savoury! !!!! I didn't understand what the teacher meant so just put my packed lunch away. When I told my mum she went into see the teacher.......The teacher had thought I'd been eating icecream when actually I'd been eating cottage cheese!!!

Thingamajiggy · 02/09/2016 21:30

Anyone who thinks cheese is not healthy is THICK. Sorry.. The 'saturated fat is bad' myth is well and truly debunked now. Cheese is fantastically healthy both for kids and grown ups. I'm married to an Italian and have just got back from N. Italy where people eat mountains of cheese and are almost all slim and healthy. I'd tell her to educate herself and stick her nose out!