To wonder why school meals include a pudding every day

[LAgeDeRaisin]

My DC aren't at school yet, but I had a look at our local primary school website today to read a bit about it. On the lunch section there is informarion about packed lunches including requests not sending in crisps/ sweets and cakes. Suggestions for lunches were included. All seemed pretty normal.

I've also had a look at the school dinner menu and there is a pudding every single day- sponge and custard, rice pudding, iced biscuits, brownies, etc.

In our house we will make a home made pudding at the weekend as a treat or if we have guests/it's an occasion, but meals through the week don't come with pudding.

AIBU to think that schools shouldn't be giving children pudding every day (especially if packed lunch boxes forbid it)? Could they not give some of their suggested sweet treats instead like malt loaf, fruit, yoghurt, etc?

What's the point in having a policy about not eating rubbish if you're handing out daily brownies?

Fully prepared to be called a bore.

I can't get excited about this. It's 5 meals a week, so 5 puddings a week if you don't serve them at home. Hardly an excessive amount.

Everything is ok in moderation.

I grew up on 1980s sponge pudding, sticky glue, pink custard, slabs of shortbread. It was great! I got none of these things at home. It didn't make me demand sweet puddings every day at home, as I knew the options were fruit or plain yoghurt. Puddings were a school thing.

"it's about not teaching children that a daily pudding is normal and healthy."

What isn't normal about a healthy and balanced diet?! A small daily pudding is completely fine.

I think that the whole "meal is only finished with pudding" expectation that the children get is unhealthy. I'd rather they offer fruit or yogurt or, if fat and carbs are needed then a slice of bread and butter!

I’d suggest looking at the size of the puddings (you’ll probably need glasses on) and the ingredients before judging. Many fruits have more sugar and whilst it’s a better type of sugar, the body still breaks it down the same way and it often causes damage to teeth.

It’s interesting that in the past, when obesity was very rare in this country, pudding after a main meal was standard and it would have been incomplete without it.

It’s also interesting that home baking is considered healthy, I use half the sugar prescribed in every contemporary cake recipe because the sweetness makes my teeth sing.

@Iwantacookie

Years ago when dd was in primary they tried to ban swiss rolls etc in lunch boxes. A load of us parents went to the head and said no way if hot dinners are allowed cake. Soon back tracked but still didnt like sweets in lunch boxes. It just taught my dc to hide the good stuff to eat out of sight of dinner ladies.

Why would you put sweets in a child’s lunch box? I can imagine how the eyebrows were raised in the staff room at your little irate parent posse’s understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet.

@Thehop

YANBU at all. Drives me mad that my kids can’t have home baking in packed lunches whilst those on school lunch get sponge and custard

This

It's no wonder there are so many ED amongst young people when they are constantly getting the message that one small pudding a day will make them fat.

I'm a midday supervisor and like some others have said, the portions aren't huge. We always have yoghurts and fruit options and the cakes usually have fruit in them too. You'd actually be surprised by how many children choose the yoghurt/fruit option or even nothing at all. Even if children choose the cake/pudding option, they're still allowed to take some fruit as well.

@dementedpixie

They don't have to have the pudding. My dcs used to choose a biscuit or piece of home baking rather than a larger pudding

It’s not a large pudding. The lunch and pudding sizes are tiny! I wonder how many parents actually have seen what size portions of food is served to their child.

Most people are skinny as children but obviously most UK adults struggle to maintain a healthy weight and I think schools doing daily pudding is not setting people up for good food habits.

But equally, restricting food like pudding/cake/custard also causes problems. I was never allowed pudding or sweets as a kid and as soon as I had my own money, it all went on junk food, and I've read several posts on here saying the same/similar things.

School dinners are only five meals a week - compared to 16 plus snacks at home. So, as a parent you have much more influence over your childs' diet/eating habit than the school does.

It’s not a normal sugary pudding at our school though - it’s normally a healthier pudding which tastes foul and my kids wouldn’t eat ... we do packed lunch now - started the day after I got to sample school food and realised my kids weren't having me on about it being bland ... I would rather they eat a decent amount

@StrongerOrWeaker

It's not the pudding that I object to but the rest. Potatoes every day, seriously?!

Yes seriously. What on earth is wrong with potatoes?

Also, children at our school aren't supposed to take fizzy drinks but crisps and a bit of treat is fine! Especially when, like you say, those having school dinners can have something.

"They don't have to have the pudding. My dcs used to choose a biscuit or piece of home baking rather than a larger pudding"

I love the smug way this was written 🤣 completely clueless to the fact the kids chose the high sugar option

@LAgeDeRaisin

I think YABU.

When I was at school (70s/80s) and when DD was at school (noughties,) and even now, there has ALWAYS been a pudding/dessert/sweet option for afterwards.

Seems odd to NOT have one IMO.

@StrongerOrWeaker

It's not the pudding that I object to but the rest. Potatoes every day, seriously?!

What on earth is wrong with potatoes?

@dementedpixie

They don't have to have the pudding. My dcs used to choose a biscuit or piece of home baking rather than a larger pudding

Local school you can have pudding or fruit or crackers with cheese. There is the choice of soup instead of pudding too. For some low income family’s this could be the only treat they get. Also the extra calories, fat and calcium in milky custard is needed for some children.

They don't have a pudding and custard everyday! They also have things like yoghurt and fruit or cheese and crackers for pudding. A varied diet! Often some children barely eat their main course anyway, I'd much rather they ate something rather than nothing and if that's pudding and custard then so be it.

Potatoes? 😱 *faints

I completely agree- and yes to a starter instead of a pudding if the concern is filling kids up.

I also don’t think there is enough ‘break time’ for children to run around and actually spend some calories at lunchtime.

If they couldn't take crisps or biscuits my youngest sons lunch would be minuscule. He will eat a tiny amount of mango, no other fruit/ veg/ salad.
Luckily they don't say anything.
My oldest used to have dinners though and I was shocked they had a pudding every day!

@DavidsSchitt

"They don't have to have the pudding. My dcs used to choose a biscuit or piece of home baking rather than a larger pudding"

I love the smug way this was written 🤣 completely clueless to the fact the kids chose the high sugar option

I wasnt being smug. The kids could go outside with their crispy cake or biscuit but couldn't if they had a bowl of pudding.

It has taken us pretty much all of primary school to convince DD she doesn’t need pudding after every meal.

It is entirely unnecessary and they should just offer fruit. It’s just ridiculous to say “oh well they don’t have to eat it” but they will, because it is tasty and their friends are all eating it.

Also just to let you know the portions at school are quite small.