Kids snacks at school - white carbs twice before lunch

[prettyflowersinthesky]

DD is in y4.

I seriously don't want to be "that" parent so am wondering on the consensus on this.

DD's school has started giving the whole school's kids stodgy white carbs with jam twice before lunchtime (bagels).

Once when they arrive in the morning, and then again at break time.

DD is coming home with most of her lunch uneaten.

I fully appreciate about food poverty and that giving the kids food in this blanket way is a way of addressing that without singling out or embarrassing hungry children or families.

But I question

1. Whether or not the white carbs plus jam is appropriate nutrition
2. Whether or not most kids really need this
3. Whether or not two snacks between breakfast and lunch is excessive

There is no requirement for the kids to take and eat the snacks but to say to my child not to take them when the other kids are seems unfair.

I'm a bit torn, and certainly don't want to deny hungry kids access to food. But also wonder if the school needs to give this twice and also maybe the nutritional content of the snacks could be improved (e.g. fruit, whole grain snacks or something instead). I do appreciate that kids need more carbs than adults.

What does everyone think? Is this appropriate? I feel for the vast majority of kids without food poverty issues this is not necessary, so by serving all the kids a snack it is enforcing bad snacking habits, poor food choices as well as encouraging childhood obesity.

In many very healthy countries no snacking is allowed although I appreciate for very young children it may be necessary.

I am wondering whether or not to speak to the school about my concerns about them finding a better way to address the issues for the hungry kids.

But I do not want to speak up if I am seriously misinformed about all of this, hence interested in your responses. Thanks.

Yanbu = this is not appropriate / YABU - give the kids the snacks

Fab post @OnDisplay.

Alternatively, those parents concerned about the poor nutritional value of the snacks and breakfasts provided could maybe club together and provide a more nutritious snack. I'm thinking slices of cheese, cooked meats, maybe some smoked fish and something for the vegans - avocadoes or tofu or something.

I feed my kid bagels frequently....they are dairy and soya free which is a big deal in my house....I say no to Jam a lot but because I worry about teeth more than anything. I had no idea they were 'bad'.

I grew up poor....had school lunch and mostly had nothing till school lunch the next day. Except on Tuesdays....child benefit day so we had dinner that night.

Child poverty is real, eating a bagel is hardly the end of the world

I can't see the issue here. Give her fruit for breakfast rather than carbs if your worried. I don't think I'd take it up with the school. You need to think of the children who need that snack. They probably wouldn't eat fruit anyway.

@RhymesWithOrange

Direct your concerns further up the "food chain" OP or come up with more workable solutions (although you haven't really suggested anything useful anyway).

I actually do just that IRL you'll be pleased to know. Does that mean I have your permission to keep posting on MN?

Well yes, given my post was directed to the OP

@Time2change2. no it isn’t me that doesn’t have a clue, you must be thinking of someone else

Fat in moderation is fine but it does increase insulin resistance. It’s not the devil but neither is it angelic. Obviously what is best is some carbs, some fat, some protein, some vitamins, some fibre ...

But they need cheap food that’s easy to prepare, store and eat so bagels it is.

Don’t get why you can’t tell your daughter not to eat it. She’s YR4 not reception, perfectly capable of declining a snack.

@sadwithkiddies

I feed my kid bagels frequently....they are dairy and soya free which is a big deal in my house....I say no to Jam a lot but because I worry about teeth more than anything. I had no idea they were 'bad'.

I grew up poor....had school lunch and mostly had nothing till school lunch the next day. Except on Tuesdays....child benefit day so we had dinner that night.

Child poverty is real, eating a bagel is hardly the end of the world

@sadwithkiddies it really is posters like you who should be listened to. I'm sure a starving child who only gets fed at a school sadly only is concerned that there stomach has something in it. As you say child poverty is very real and in the current situation its increasing.

I’d email the school and ask them not to provide the bag all to DD as she eats well at breakfast and you can provide two pieces of fruit instead. Tell them her healthy lunch is going uneaten

It's all very me, me me, dressed up as concern for the hungry fat kids isn't it?
Work on teaching your own child 'impulse control' and leave the school who are obviously trying their best. I'm sure someone didn't go well we can afford fresh fruit salad for everyone with a side of smoked salmon but sure we will just throw a few bagels and jam their way instead. As I am sure you are aware carbs are cheap and fill you up, jam is probably the cheapest topping you can have. Do you think this is a coincidence or do you think the school are just trying to do their best with a limited budget?

The proportion of kids not having breakfast in our school is much higher than 14%

I think that it's not ideal for them to have alot of white carbs but the reasons provided by previous posters are compelling.

In your shoes I would ask DD to chose between forgoing one of the bagels (or part bagels or whatever), or having a healthier lower carb lunch. You can also compensate at dinner too, by making it a bit less carb heavy.

I appreciate that for the kids who are able to have three meals a day, the bagels are not the best option.

But isn't the extra faff of slightly altering your daughter's lunches/breakfasts worth it so that all the kids who don't have that option can be fed?

A little more hassle for you, a better start in life for them. You're in a lovely position where you have the chance to worry about the nutritional needs of your children and not whether they will get any nutrition at all that day.

I agree OP.

The needs of the other children matter as well, including those that are overweight. Two bagels (or even half bagels) with jam are fine sometimes but this is five days a week, over a large proportion of the year.

Processed foods are linked with increase in obesity, diabetes, various cancers amongst other things.

It's not that it's just a carb per se but a highly refined carb combination that offers very little nutritional benefit aside from rapidly released calories. Yes, fruit is high in fructose, but also fibre, various micro and phytonutrients and antioxidants and is metabolised completely differently to a bagel and jam.

It's also not brilliant food for learning etc. OP is doing her best to provide a healthy start for her child, and this is making it harder. Of course she can tell her 8 year old to decline it but I do think that is very hard for an 8 year old to do when all their friends are eating something they quite fancy themselves. A lot of adults would find this hard too, I would sometimes.

I do admit I don't know what the answer is, as it's such an important thing to help children living in poverty, but am just thinking of the other children too and their parents who are also doing their best and something like this hinders it.

I went to school in the 50s, very poor inner city area. Cadbury's used to donate big tubs of cocoa and all those little bottles of milk got tipped into huge saucepans and we had hot cocoa for morning break. It is the only nice thing I remember about that school but I suppose it is Cadbury's I should thank.

A bagel and jam won't kill them and the novelty will probably wear off for kids who aren't going hungry.

Viv, fruit is carbs.

Anyway we will never resolve this on this thread.It is one reason I have paid school fees as the food is normal and decent rather than state school junk food

Just tell your DC not to eat them. Don't deprive others just because you'd rather your child didn't eat the food.

Ah bless you @TooLittleTooLate80 I misread.

I'm actually involved in a discussion on childhood T2 diabetes at the moment in my professional life and it's not a coincidence that poverty and T2 diabetes is linked. Given the desperate harm that causes I can assure anyone who thinks otherwise that my interest isn't faux middle class concern for "the poor fat kids".

It is a bit of a daft food choice but there will be reasons for it.

And if you think that most children have breakfast , then yes you are massively naive and missing the point.

Either tell your child to have one , or none , or suck it up and feel grateful that you and your child have access to three meals a day.

It's not about you OP. And please bear in mind that kicking up a fuss may result in this removed which may be a child's only food in a day.

Xenia, it's not even for the state children who has parents who can provide food for them, or capable of looking after them.

Such a hurtful post. If you can pay for private, you certainly can provide good nutritional food. And most of state children get normal and decent food too.
But for some of the children, this maybe the lifeline.

Of course she can tell her 8 year old to decline it but I do think that is very hard for an 8 year old to do when all their friends are eating something they quite fancy themselves

It doesn’t even have to be something they fancy. It was 40 years ago, but I still remember going with all the others to the play area to sit and drink that little bottle of milk we used to get. I hated milk, more so because it had been sitting out and was warm. I forced it down, though, because I wanted to be there doing what the others were. I was the only one happy that Thatcher stole our milk!

OP, you're absolutely stupid if you think that study you linked shows anything.

I once asked a parent if they had fed their DS breakfast... they said yes, a kitkat and a bag of quavers. Yet your stupid study would mark that as fed

ineedaholidaynow: I am now wanting a bagel with jam
.........
Me too! Not just one.

@Xenia

Our state school serves a well balanced, cultural diverse lunch daily thank you.

Every thread I read that you comment on you
Mention private schooling, surprised
You’ve not mentioned going back to work when kids were 2 Weeks old..: that usually follows

Peanut butter would be better, but obviously a no go for the school environment in case of allergies.

There you go OP - simple solution, send your child to private school!