AIBU - restrictive school snack policy, hungry child

[nemoni]

Our children's school (primary) has a policy of only allowing fruit and vegetables for snacks at school. Completely get the rationale - healthy eating, relatively easy to set parameters, no overly complex education needed around it etc.

The only problem is I have an active child - plays sport (on top of PE etc) 5 days a week and generally on the go. He comes home from school ravenously hungry, grumpy and tired. He's also going through a growth spurt. I'd like to be able to give him more carbohydrates, even protein, during the day as snacks, as I do on weekends, particularly on days he goes to after school sports sessions. I'm not asking for crisps/chocolate/jam sandwiches etc.

School so far saying no, no, no.

I think it's a cop out, it means they get to look like they're promoting healthy eating while not really promoting a balanced diet, kids are scoffing loads of dried fruit, and don't have access to a water fountain during school hours except at lunch. And don't get me started on school dinners.

Am I being unreasonable?! What parameters does your school set? How do they promote and support healthy eating? Thoughts welcome before I book a chat with the headteacher :)

[Motherbear26]

OP, I do not think YABU at all. I'm in completely agreement that a full afternoon is a long time to go between meals, particularly with an active after school club. If your dc is not into bananas, I would recommend veg sticks with houmous, a few squares of cheese, a small sandwich containing some protein or a pot of natural yogurt along with the fruit. If school won't allow this then I would definitely speak to the headteacher. I would also be concerned that dc was not drinking enough as at my dc's school there are water fountains and they are allowed to keep a named water bottle in the classrooms. I'm not really onboard with the idea of a fruit snack alone as I think a small amount of protein along with fruit/veg slows absorption and prevents spikes in blood sugar, but I can see why the school would want to keep things simple as some parents may push the boundaries. I also don't believe there is anything wrong with a mid morning or mid afternoon snack!!! Kids are growing and if they are active they will be hungry! It's not as if you are expecting to send crisps and cake, just something a little more substantial than fruit alone! Good luck with it all, I hope the school exercise a little common sense.

[mintyneb]

Sorry posted on the wrong thread. Ignore my comments, have asked for them to be removed

[Kahlan83]

*misunderstood

[Kahlan83]

This might sound silly, but just give him a sandwich and tell him to eat it in the bathroom. What's the school gonna do, search his bag or bathroom to make sure he's not eating a sandwich? 😁

I think it's great school are promoting healthy eating, but this sounds like it gone to far with it. By restricting the food this much, its actually causing harm. Your poor DS, it not fair he's so hungry during that time at school/sports club.

(Note: If I miss understood something, sorry, only had a few hours sleep, DS kept me up late with teething. Poor wee soul. Teething sucks.)

[paxillin]

I have skinny and active dc, too. They don't snack. Moving over to three meals a day was the last stage of weaning for me. Of course there are exceptions, but my RL experience is that the big and fussy snackers are overweight and inactive.

[GreenGinger2]

My skinniest kids would eat all day long if he could. He eats like a horse,struggles to put/ keep on weight and eats like a horse. He has the same body as his uber fit dad and grandad who at 80 still has a skinny body and washboard stomach.

[grannytomine]

paxillin, my experience is different. My grandsons snack alot, are very active and both very slim. Their sporty friends are the same, if they are burning alot of calories they have to get them back. I can't imagine how learning could become a side issue because kids eat a snack at break time, surely they aren't doing lessons at break time or it wouldn't be a break.

[paxillin]

Schools should worry about teaching and leave food to parents. Judging by the undergrads I teach, some kids would carry in such large and varied tuck boxes learning becomes a side issue in between gobbling. I agree with cantkeepawayforever's observation that inactive kids eat the largest snacks and the really active ones don't snack. True for undergrads, too.

[eddiemairswife]

My best friend used to take half a peach, her brother had the other half. They alternated with the stone. Long time ago; peaches had a short season and were really juicy.

[BathshebaDarkstone]

I used to take half a large peeled carrot for a snack in the 70s.

[MeandT]

Guacamole dip, canellini bean dip or salad pot of sweetcorn/peppers/avo/mixed beans all likely to be within policy but lower sugar content & more protein to sustain for sports. How adventurous are your DS eating habits?

[hippoinamudhole]

Are you sure his grumpyness isn't thirst? Especially if the only access to water is at lunchtime

A lot of the time thirst is mistaken for hunger

[MeandT]

Aha! Rainbow just beat me to it. Agree OP that by discussing with school, you might be able to find a path through the 'after school snack' difference. But a pea & mint dip with sweet potato wedges, green beans & carrots to dip would be within policy. As would hummus and veg sticks. Lots of interesting policy chat here but I thought some practical suggestions might come in handy I school won't budge!

[DontBeBlueBeARainbow]

Get creative with fruit and veg, e.g.
Roasted sweet potatoes - carbs
Sliced avocado - fat
Carrot sticks - carbs
Pots of peas or edamame - protein

[grannytomine]

Oh and I went to school in the 50s/60s and we had snacks. The school sold snacks to raise money so we all came to school with a few pennies to buy chocolate biscuits and we had them with our full cream milk, in winter the milk was all heated up and a local chocolate factory donated drinking chocolate powder and we all had hot drinking chocolate.

[grannytomine]

Why with the banana obsession? Not everyone likes bananas, my daughter gags if she smells a banana and she is a teacher and a head of department in a big comp so not a silly childish thing. I can't eat citrus fruit, gives me migraines. Some kids are allergic to nuts. Some kids need snacks to keep weight up if they are prone to being under weight. Schools should worry about teaching and leave food to parents.

[Willow2017]

We had snacks in 70s too we all had a 'leavie piece' for break time. And we had milk.

[eddiemairswife]

Is there anything wrong with a child actually feeling hungry, or is it a sensation unfamiliar to most of them?

[user1475439961]

My dd school has fruit then raisins and a handful of mixed nuts everyday. Milk or water to drink-reception have toast too.

[brasty]

Yes we had playtime snacks. Normally 1 snack for the day.

[GreenGinger2]

Wrong Georgie we had playtime snacks in the 70s and free full fat milk before on top before play. We had playtime snacks in the 80s and the kids I taught had them in the 90s.

[ilovechocolate07]

In my experience children.who bring in big snacks leave a lot of their lunch. I see nothing wrong with a decent breakfast, fruit at playtime and then a good lunch. They really will not starve.

[Lovelymess]

Such a tough one! I try to give a big breakfast and at my los school they have a snack at break time. Fruit provided or they can bring something (she's not mad on fruit so I put in a pot of crackers, cheese and hummus) she has school dinners but still really hungry she gets home 🤦🏼‍♀️

[georgiegirl]

I hate the modern day obsession with snacks. It just didn't happen when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s. No wonder so many kids are obese today. OK, this article is from the US, but snack culture is one of the main culprits for childhood obesity. well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/u-s-children-generation-snack/?_r=0
Well done to your son's school for tackling this huge problem.